LONDON — When you are creating a military alliance aimed at a third party, it's always best to swear that you are doing no such thing, and that you simply share common values with your prospective allies.

Addressing the Indian Parliament last Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, "This partnership is an association in which we share fundamental values such as freedom, democracy and respect for basic human rights as well as strategic interests."

Notice how "strategic interests" was just tacked on at the end: Sort of "Oh, yeah, and that too, if anybody cares." That's how the game is played, and Abe didn't mention China at all.