War ships, planes in East, South China seas escalating tensions: China

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
29 Jul 2023 19:08

Beijing says Japan's latest annual defense report portrayed a "wrong perception" of China and "deliberately exaggerates the so-called Chinese military threat."

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Tan Kefei (Chinese Defense Ministry)

The Chinese Defense Ministry stressed that certain unnamed nations' regular dispatch of ships and planes to "show off their military force for self-interest" has heightened tensions in the East and South China seas.

In response to a Japanese defense assessment highlighting alleged Chinese threats, a spokesperson for the Ministry, Tan Kefei, pointed out that these measures have significantly exacerbated regional tensions.

On Friday, Japan raised its concerns about China's actions in the region, Beijing's developing military relations with Moscow, and claims on Taiwan in an annual defense paper, the first under Tokyo's new security policy calling for a large military boost.

Tan indicated that Japan's latest annual defense report portrayed a "wrong perception" of China and "deliberately exaggerates the so-called Chinese military threat."

According to the Chinese Spokesperson, Beijing has conveyed its strong objections to Tokyo, expressing vehement opposition to the document.

He said Japan has consistently intervened in China's domestic affairs, violated international relations norms, weakened the foundation of Sino-Japanese ties, and exacerbated the situation in the Taiwan Strait.

Tan also made it clear that "China-Russia cooperation in the field of defense is based on non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties, and is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world, without posing a threat to any country."

This comes as Russia and China are set to launch on Saturday their third joint naval patrol just after completing the Northern/Interaction-2023 joint exercises in the Sea of Japan, the Global Times reported on Wednesday citing a press release of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.

Warships and vessels of both armies will be sailing into West and North Pacific waters, in accordance with an annual cooperation schedule between their militaries.

The Global Times noted that the exercise could reach the Bering Sea, as the Chinese People's Liberation Amry's Navy seeks to showcase its far sea capabilities, coinciding with the largest ever joint military drill held by 13 countries, including the US, Australia, the UK Canada, and Japan in Australian waters.