U.S. envoy to Japan vows to continue calling out Chinese ‘hypocrisy’

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel has vowed to continue calling out Beijing for what he described as “hypocrisy” and lack of transparency, rebutting criticism that he may be stepping out of bounds following a series of tweets that have angered China.

“When it comes to tweets, maybe it stings when you call out the truth,” Emanuel said Thursday following a speech in Tokyo about Japan’s recent achievements in defense and diplomacy, emphasizing that he will continue to call out “all” hypocrisy and economic coercion.

“If you are going to be a superpower, which China is, and a dynamic country and economy … you have some responsibility to not only transparency but honesty,” the U.S. ambassador said during a press event at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, adding that Beijing has “failed multiple times” at that.