The United States and Japan have upgraded their alliance based on a new set of "common strategic objectives".

On Tuesday, Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto released a joint statement with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling on China to play "a responsible and constructive role in regional stability and prosperity".

They also asked China to adhere to international norms of behavior and claimed they sought to encourage China's cooperation on global issues.

In the joint statement, the US guaranteed the security of Japan and the two countries will seek to enhance their capability to address a variety of contingencies.

They also said they will strengthen security and defense cooperation with Australia and the Republic of Korea and will promote trilateral dialogue between the US, Japan and India.

It is not hard to see that the two allies view China as a thorn in their sides.

The US and Japan are concerned about China's economic, political and military clout, to the extent that some in the US and Japan favor containing China.

During his visit to Tokyo in January, Gates said the US military presence in the Pacific is essential to restrain Chinese assertiveness, adding that advances by China's military in cyber and anti-satellite warfare technology could challenge the ability of US forces to operate in the Pacific.

He also highlighted the territorial dispute between China and Japan as an example of why the US alliance with Japan is important.

Although China is its biggest trade partner, Japan is nervous about the rise of its neighbor. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in April, Kitazawa called for stronger military ties with its allies to balance China's growing influence.

However, although the US and Japan call for confidence building measures, they are doing just the opposite.

The US-Japan joint statement defines the security environment in the Asia-Pacific region as "increasingly uncertain". It calls China's growing military capabilities and activities in space, the high seas and cyberspace as challenges the two countries need to address.

But when the US and Japan strengthen their alliance, other countries have reason to strengthen their own military capability.

Clearly the future interactions between the US, Japan and China will shape the strategic map of Northeast Asia. Cooperation rather than confrontation will be better for all.

The US and Japan have already benefited from China's economic growth and its contributions to regional and global issues.

The three countries need to create a situation where they can cooperate and coexist and avoid the tragedy of a competition for power.

(China Daily 06/23/2011 page10)