Japanese prime minister says trust will be key to China's success
| Washington
Japanese Prime Minister聽听蝉补颈诲听's continued economic growth will require building trust, not tensions, with other countries, according to an interview broadcast on Sunday.
A steady Chinese military buildup over the last 20 years is a serious concern for countries in the region, Abe said in a CNN interview from聽,听, where tensions between聽听补苍诲听聽were on display at the聽聽last week.
"贵辞谤听聽to continue to enjoy economic prosperity, it needs to foster trusting international relationships, not tensions," Abe said on the "Fareed Zakaria GPS" program. "And it is important for聽聽to understand this."
"Military expansion will contribute nothing to聽's future, its economic growth or prosperity."
Abe's top priority since taking office more than a year ago has been reviving a sluggish economy, but he has also pledged to strengthen聽聽in response to聽's rapid military buildup and recent actions to back its claim to Japanese-held islands in the聽听厂别补.
's decision to declare an air defense identification zone in an area that includes the disputed islands triggered protests last month from聽,听聽and the United States, which said聽聽was trying to change the status quo in the聽听厂别补.
Abe seized on that point in Sunday's broadcast.
"It is also important for聽聽to recognize that any attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion cannot be accepted," he said.
The Japanese leader said he has no intention of countering聽聽militarily, "but I am responsible for protecting Japanese waters, territory and Japanese lives and property. And I intend to exercise those responsibilities."
