China Says India-Japan Cooperation Must Not Harm Third Parties
China warned on Friday that bilateral cooperation between countries should not target any third party or undermine interests of another nation, a day after India and Japan announced a series of landmark initiatives during Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to Delhi.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a media briefing in Beijing that such cooperation should enhance understanding and trust among regional countries and safeguard peace and stability. He was responding to a question about the India-Japan partnership on critical minerals aimed at boosting supply chain resilience following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ms. Takaichi.
"Such cooperation should not target any third party or harm the interests of any third party, still less be used as an excuse to patch up exclusive small groupings and stoke division and confrontation," Mr. Guo said. He added that all countries have a common responsibility to keep global industrial and supply chains safe and stable, and should champion openness and cooperation.
India and Japan on Thursday unveiled several initiatives, including an economic partnership framework, a defence pact to co-develop military hardware, and steps to enhance energy ties to address oil shocks. They also expressed "serious concern" over the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea, opposing unilateral actions that endanger freedom of navigation and attempts to change the status quo by force, according to a joint statement.
The Japanese Prime Minister's visit to India drew heightened scrutiny from Beijing, as Japan-China relations have soured significantly following Ms. Takaichi's remarks in November 2025 that Japan could respond if China attacked Taiwan. China views Taiwan, a self-governed island, as a renegade province that must be reunified, by force if necessary. Her comments provoked a strong reaction from China.
China has tightened exports of rare earth minerals to Japan, the United States, India, and several other countries, using them as leverage to expand its trade interests. China accounts for about 70% of global rare earth mining and nearly 90% of its processing. These minerals are critical for manufacturing electronics, automobiles, wind energy, defence equipment, and many modern devices.
