BY AARTI TIKOO SINGH
In a strong show of support for India, Japan on Friday hit out at China, saying that it opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh where the Chinese aggression led to the killing of 20 Indian soldiers last month.
Tokyo’s envoy in New Delhi, Satoshi Suzuki on Friday revealed that he had a conversation with Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla about the government’s efforts at peaceful resolution of the Indo-China face-off in Ladakh.
Suzuki later tweeted: “Had a good talk with FS Shringla. Appreciated his briefing on the situation along LAC, including GOI’s policy to pursue peaceful resolution. Japan also hopes for peaceful resolution through dialogues. Japan opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo.”
The statement came weeks after Japan revised a certain legislation which allows it to share defence intelligence with India, Australia and the UK. Until now, the legislation covered only its closest ally, the US.
The move will facilitate joint exercises, tie-ups for developing equipment and sharing data on Chinese troop movements — strategically significant issue — for Tokyo as its finding harder to keep a track of Beijing’s activities in East China Sea.
Chinese Coast Guard vessels, as per media reports from Tokyo, have been sailing through waters in the East China Sea around the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands for the last 80 days continuously. China disputes Japan’s sovereignty over Senkaku islands.
