Japan's ongoing joint exercises with the United States and Australia will harm other countries' security interests and threaten regional security and stability, a Chinese spokesman said on Monday.
Jiang Bin, the spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a media query about the largest-ever Orient Shield exercises. The drills involve Japan's Self-Defense Forces and U.S. and Australian forces, operating primarily in and around Hokkaido from Sept 8 to 24.
"This exercise is packaged as a 'shield,' but in reality it amounts to the forward deployment of strategic offensive weapons. It not only undermines other countries' legitimate security interests, but also heightens the risk of an arms race and military confrontation, and seriously threatens regional security and stability. We firmly oppose this," said Jiang.
"In recent years, Japan has continuously breached the constraints of its Pacifist Constitution and exclusively defense-oriented policy, while vigorously developing long-range offensive weapons. It has accelerated remilitarization through joint military exercises with other countries and pursued military expansion. In addition, by catering to extra-regional forces and fostering bloc confrontation, it is deliberately stoking regional tensions and gradually embarking on the dangerous path of neo-militarism," he said.
"Any move that fuels Japan's military ambitions will only push the region into a dangerous vortex and will inevitably bring harm to those involved. We urge the relevant countries to earnestly respect others' security concerns, rectify their erroneous practices, and contribute positively to regional peace and stability through concrete actions," Jiang said.
Japan's drills harm other's security, threatens regional stability: spokesman
