Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesperson Colonel Wu Qian made a statement to the press Tuesday on Japan’s newly published defense white paper. Following is the full text of his statement:
The Japanese Defense Ministry published a defense white paper on August 2. The China-related portion of the document is full of lousy clichés, makes irresponsible remarks on China’s normal and legal national defense and military development, and hypes up the East and South China Sea issues.
It is also full of malice toward Chinese military and deception to the international community, as well as intention to sow discord among China and its neighboring countries. The Chinese military expresses strong dissatisfaction with and resolute opposition against it, and makes solemn representations to the Japanese side.
On the South China Sea issue, Japan intends to fish in troubled waters by sowing discord in the region. We sternly warn the Japanese side that the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is never a problem, rather, it is a problem that the meddling of countries outside the region like Japan in the South China Sea issue is undermining peace and stability in this region.
The Japanese side makes groundless accusations against China, saying that China is changing the status quo in the South China Sea by relying on its strength.
I am wondering, can’t Japanese government’s purchasing the Diaoyu Dao illegally be called as changing the status quo? Can’t the Japan’s Self Defense Forces’ strengthening military deployment in southwestern direction be called as changing the status quo? Can’t Japan’s passing the new security bill to lift ban on its collective self-defense be called as changing the status quo? We advise the Japanese government to stop its wrong words and deeds, so as to avoid shooting itself in the foot.
On the East China Sea issue, the Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islets are China’s inherent territory and China has ample historical and jurisprudential evidences on that. Japan has hyped up for many times the “unusual close encounter” between Chinese and Japanese military aircraft, but I’d like to remind the Japanese side that it owns China an explanation on this matter.
If we take a glance at the relevant videos released by China’s Defense Ministry, we can clearly find out that who is the real danger-maker, and who is the real rule-breaker .
Japan also made groundless accusation in its defense white paper that the Chinese military has unilaterally upgraded actions near the Diaoyu Dao. I must clearly point out that the Chinese military’s actions are absolutely based on the indisputable fact that the Diaoyu Dao belongs to China.
The ultimate objective of Japan is to cook excuses for adjusting by leaps and bounds its military and security policies and accelerating its arms expansion, even rewriting the pacifist constitution. The international community should pay great attention and high alert to this tendency of Japan.
We urge the Japanese side to have a reflection on history, respect the facts, stop making groundless accusation against China and sowing dissension among related countries, as well as stop cheating the international community, instead, make practical actions to create conditions for improvement and development of China-Japan relations.