Amid tense China-Japan relations, the White House has stated that President Trump is capable of maintaining good relations with both China and Japan.
During a White House press briefing on the 11th, a journalist asked whether the U.S. is concerned about a possible military conflict between China and Japan, and what actions the U.S. might take.
White House spokesperson Leavitt said that Trump is able to maintain a good working relationship with China, while also maintaining a very strong alliance with Japan.
Leavitt said that the strong personal ties between U.S. and Japanese leaders, as well as their trade relations, prove that Japan is a very good ally of the United States.
Leavitt stated that as for China, Trump also enjoys a good working relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping; Trump believes that such a relationship benefits the United States.
Japan's defense authorities on the 7th quickly disclosed that Chinese military aircraft used radar to lock onto Japanese aircraft, causing heightened tensions throughout Japan.
On the 10th, American bombers and Japanese fighter jets flew together over the Sea of Japan. This move, made after China and Russia conducted joint military exercises in the waters near Japan and South Korea, was a show of U.S. military strength.