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With US focused on Venezuela, China has window to pressure Japan: analysts
Beijing is leveraging a distracted Washington to ratchet up pressure on Tokyo, launching an anti-dumping investigation into a key semiconductor chemical while the United States is preoccupied with Venezuela, according to analysts.
With China holding leverage over rare earths, while Japan has a commanding market share in semiconductor equipment and materials, analysts say both sides are testing each other’s baselines to assess how far this economic tit-for-tat can go.
The bilateral row kicked off when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested on November 7 that Tokyo could respond militarily to a potential attack by Beijing on Taiwan, which Beijing sees as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary.
China might believe that the US is preoccupied with the western hemisphere and is not going to put pressure on China at the current juncture regarding Japan, she explained, adding that China is “clearly” targeting Japan.
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