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Japan praises British carrier dispatch and vows more security cooperation
LONDON - Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his British counterpart Dominic Raab
on Monday affimed security cooperation in promoting a “"Free and Open Indo-Pacific" as
China steps up assertive territorial claims in the East and South China seas.
Meeting on the sidelines of a three-day gathering of Group of Seven foreign ministers in
London through Wednesday, Motegi welcomed Britain's scheduled dispatch of the aircraft
carrier Queen Elizabeth and its strike group to Japan and the Indo-Pacific later in the year,
according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
“The deployment of the British aircraft carrier strike group to the Indo-Pacific symbolizes
Britain's commitment to the region." Motegi was quoted by the ministry as telling Raab in
their first face-to-face talks since August 2020.
Motegi also hailed Britain's pronouncement of proactive engagement in the Indo-Pacific in
its integrated review of foreign and defense policy released in March.
The two ministers shared "grave concerns" about China's unilateral attempts to change the
status quo in regional waters such as the enforcement of a new security law allowing its coast
guard ships to fire on foreign vessels in waters Beijing sees as its territory.
