China is gravely concerned over Japan's move to deepen defense cooperation with NATO, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters at a press conference in Beijing on Monday.
Commenting on Japan's announcement that it would dispatch four Self-Defense Forces personnel to the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine headquarters in Germany for the first time, Lin said China is gravely concerned over such moves Japan has made recently as neo-militarism is on the rise in the country.
"We express serious concern over Japan's push for cooperation with NATO. Japan is vigorously advancing its 're-militarization,' frequently interacting with external military organizations, expanding the operational scope of its Self-Defense Forces, and building an operation system with combat capability. This goes against Japan's Constitution, international law, domestic regulations, and principles such as the exclusively defense-oriented policy, while challenging the post-war international order and contradicting Japan's self-proclaimed image as a 'pacifist country.' Japan's dangerous neo-militarism trend is taking shape and threatening regional peace and stability. The international community must remain highly vigilant and resolutely contain it." Lin said.
China is gravely concerned over Japan's push for defense cooperation with NATO: spokesman
