Wed June, 2021, Age: 3 years
The defense and foreign ministers of Japan and Australia have agreed to strengthen security ties in the face of an increasingly assertive China. In a joint statement, the two countries expressed concern over “negative developments and serious incidents in the South China Sea.” China responded to the statement by “[rejecting] Japan and Australia’s efforts to smear China.” Japan and Australia are set to pass a cooperation deal to allow Japanese Self-Defense Forces to protect Australian security assets, the first such agreement Japan will have with a country besides the United States.