(MENAFN) China on Tuesday called on Japan to “earnestly respect” the security concerns of its neighbors, as Tokyo reaffirmed plans to strengthen its military capabilities.

“The Asia-Pacific region is a highland for peaceful development,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing following US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo.

Guo emphasized that the United States and Japan should "contribute to regional peace and stability when developing bilateral relations and conducting security cooperation, not the opposite."

Trump has been visiting Japan on a three-day trip since Monday.

“Due to Japan’s history of militarist aggression in modern times, its military and security moves have long been closely watched by neighboring Asian countries and the international community,” Guo added. He urged Japan to “deeply reflect on its past actions, adhere to the path of peaceful development, and earn the trust of Asian countries through concrete actions."

During their meeting, Trump said US-Japan relations are poised to reach an unprecedented level of strength.

Later, speaking to US-Japan troops aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington at the Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo, Takaichi pledged to elevate Japan’s “greatest” alliance to “even greater, greater heights."

Highlighting the region’s precarious security situation, she described it as an “unprecedented, severe security environment” and vowed that Tokyo will “fundamentally reinforce its defense capabilities” with “unwavering determination and action.”

In her first policy address since being elected last week, Takaichi announced plans to increase Japan’s defense spending to roughly 2% of GDP, two years ahead of previous projections.

Under the US-Japan mutual defense treaty, the United States maintains over 50,000 troops in Japan, along with military bases, weaponry, and other strategic assets.

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