Beijing Complains to Tokyo about ‘Negative’ China References in Japan, US Communique

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a picture with US President Donald Trump during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, February 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a picture with US President Donald Trump during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, February 7, 2025. (Reuters)
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Beijing Complains to Tokyo about ‘Negative’ China References in Japan, US Communique

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a picture with US President Donald Trump during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, February 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a picture with US President Donald Trump during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, February 7, 2025. (Reuters)

China's foreign ministry said on Monday it had complained to Japan over "negative" references to China in a statement issued after a meeting between the leaders of Japan and the United States.

The "stern representations" and "strong dissatisfaction" was conveyed by the Department of Asian Affairs Director-General Liu Jinsong to the Japanese embassy's Chargé d'Affaires in Beijing, who explained to Liu Japan's position and reiterated the country's stance on its various concerns.

The embassy's statement did not elaborate on the discussions.

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first meeting last week in Washington.

According to a joint statement released by the White House, the two leaders expressed views opposing China's military actions in the South and East China Seas.

They also called for "maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait", and voiced support for "Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations."

Asked about the joint statement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun accused it of "attacking and discrediting" China and said it was "open interference in China's internal affairs". The statement exacerbated regional tensions, he added.

"We urge the United States and Japan to abide by the one-China principle and their own commitments and immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs," Guo said.

China views democratically-ruled Taiwan its own territory, and has staged several rounds of war games around the island in recent years to pressure Taipei.

Taiwan's government, which strongly objects to Beijing's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future, welcomed the joint Japan-US communique.

"We will remain steadfast in cooperating with the US, Japan and other global partners to advance regional peace and prosperity," President Lai Ching-te said in a post on X.



Elon Musk Holds Unprecedented Pentagon Meeting, Wants Leakers Prosecuted

 Elon Musk and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth laugh at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, US, March 21, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a video. (Reuters)
Elon Musk and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth laugh at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, US, March 21, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a video. (Reuters)
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Elon Musk Holds Unprecedented Pentagon Meeting, Wants Leakers Prosecuted

 Elon Musk and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth laugh at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, US, March 21, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a video. (Reuters)
Elon Musk and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth laugh at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, US, March 21, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a video. (Reuters)

Billionaire Elon Musk took his campaign to cut the US federal government into uncharted waters on Friday, holding an unprecedented top-level meeting at the Pentagon and calling for the prosecution of any Defense Department officials leaking false information about his visit.

Musk met US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for 80 minutes in his first such talks at the Pentagon, which is responsible for a large chunk of federal government spending. It was unclear whether US generals joined that meeting virtually.

The New York Times reported that Musk would be briefed on secret war plans for China, something Musk, Trump and others denied. Musk called the report "pure propaganda" and urged legal action against leakers.

"I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information to NYT. They will be found," he wrote on X before the Hegseth meeting.

President Donald Trump, who has not yet visited the Pentagon in his second term as president, also denied the story. "China will not even be mentioned or discussed," he said in a post on Truth Social on Thursday about the meeting. Later he told reporters the Pentagon meeting was to address costs.

"Elon was over there to address costs – DOGE – a thing called DOGE, which you have heard about," Trump, referring to Musk's Department of Government Efficiency

Access to a closely guarded military plan would mark a sharp expansion of Musk's role as the Trump adviser who is spearheading efforts to cut US government spending.

It would also fuel questions about conflicts of interest for Musk, who as the head of Tesla and SpaceX also has business interests in China.

The White House has previously said Musk will recuse himself if any conflicts of interest arise between his business dealings and his role in cutting federal government spending.

Musk arrived in a motorcade at the Pentagon on Friday morning and quickly moved upstairs to meet Hegseth who said on X the talks would focus on "innovation, efficiencies & smarter production."

As he departed, Musk was seen joking with Hegseth, and said the meeting went well.

"If there's anything I can do to be helpful, I would like us to have a good outcome here," Musk said as he departed.

Musk's businesses Starlink and SpaceX have a number of Pentagon contracts, raising questions about conflicts of interest as he advocates for innovation and re-prioritization of Pentagon spending to find efficiencies.

Last week, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said she had ordered an investigation into leaks from inside the intelligence community and is also probing internal chat rooms for any misconduct by employees.

During Trump's first term, his administration referred more media leaks for criminal investigation each year than in any of the previous 15 years, according to records released in 2021 by the Justice Department to the independent watchdog group, Project on Government Oversight, in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.