Japan's accelerating moves toward remilitarization have laid bare its malicious intent for military expansion, a Chinese defense spokesman said at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.
Zhang Xiaogang, spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a media query regarding Japan's recent announcement of the deployment of long-range missiles with "enemy base strike capabilities", which analysts said was clearly targeted at China.
"Japan's reckless and dangerously accelerated push for remilitarization is spiraling out of control. It's a complete betrayal of the country's pacifist Constitution and exclusively defense-oriented principle, laying bare its ambition for military expansion. Should an evil tiger be unleashed from its cage, it would inevitably wreak havoc far and wide, and plunge the Japanese people into an abyss of disaster. The international community must stay on high alert against it," he said.
"It must be emphasized that justice will eventually prevail over evil. The Chinese military has sufficient capability to counter threats and provocations, make aggressors pay an unbearable price, and defend China's national sovereignty, security and development interests," said Zhang.
Japan's remilitarization drive reveals its malicious intent for military expansion: spokesman
Japan's remilitarization drive reveals its malicious intent for military expansion: spokesman
Recent flashfloods and mudslides in eastern Afghanistan have devastated the homes of local residents who returned from refugee camps in neighboring Pakistan, worsening their already difficult living conditions.
A family of 10 who recently returned from Pakistan found themselves once again facing hardship. Their homes and belongings were swept away when flash floods tore through their village, forcing them to move into makeshift shelters.
After decades in Pakistan, the family, along with other Afghan refugees, had just finished living in cramped brick shelters and returned to their ancestral homeland. Only a month after setting up their tents, a sudden flash flood struck in the middle of the night.
"The flood surged down from the upper part of the village, forcing us to flee in darkness. It was a devastating torrent—we managed to save our children, but all our belongings were swept away," said Bahram Jan from the returned family.
Unpredictable weather in eastern Afghanistan makes rebuilding especially difficult. For this family, limited financial resources make constructing a proper house on their land even more challenging.
"We spent nearly 45 years in Pakistan as refugees. After returning to our homeland, we are now struck by such disasters, leaving everything in ruins. While we are grateful to be back in our country, we urgently appeal for proper housing to be built for us here,” said Jan.
Bahram's son, Esmatullah, had tried to support the family with a small roadside shop, but floodwaters wiped out much of his inventory, dealing another blow to the family.
"The flood swept away all the materials in my shop, and I struggled to replace them. It was so severe that we could not protect anything," said the boy.
Eastern Afghanistan flashfloods destroy homes of returned refugees
