Senior diplomats from Japan, the United States and South Korea affirmed Wednesday the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, where mainland China is increasing pressure on the self-ruled island, according to the U.S. State Department.
The three countries agreed to oppose to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea where the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands are located, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said, in an apparent move to confirm their alliance to counter China's growing military presence.
In their talks in Tokyo, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun also agreed to work closely to push North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, the ministry said.