China has expressed deep concern over Japan’s recent military activities, urging Tokyo to honor its commitment to peace and draw lessons from history.
The remarks came on Tuesday after Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary claimed that the country’s policy of “exclusively defense-oriented security” remains unchanged and rejected China’s accusations regarding Japan’s alleged “neo-militarism.”
Responding to questions at a regular press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the international community should focus less on what Japan says and more on what it is actually doing.
Mao Ning pointed out that in recent years, the Japanese government has continuously increased military spending, relaxed restrictions on arms exports, participated in a growing number of joint military exercises, and accelerated the deployment of long-range missile systems.
She further stated that Japan is actively developing what it calls “counterstrike capabilities,” enabling offensive military operations. According to Mao, Japan has also accumulated large quantities of sensitive nuclear materials, attempted to revise its pacifist constitution, and promoted policies aimed at transforming the country into a “war-capable state.”
“In doing so, Japan is steadily breaking through the limitations imposed by both international law and its own domestic legal framework,” Mao Ning said.
She questioned whether such actions could genuinely be described as maintaining an “exclusively defense-oriented policy,” adding that the gap between Japan’s rhetoric and actions has failed to ease growing international concerns over the country’s remilitarization.
The Chinese spokesperson emphasized that Japanese militarism in the past brought immense suffering not only to neighboring countries but also to the Japanese people themselves.
“Today’s neo-militarism is likewise a self-destructive path,” she warned.
Mao Ning urged Japan to seriously reflect on the painful lessons of history, strictly uphold its commitment to peaceful development, and earn the trust of neighboring Asian countries and the broader international community through concrete actions.
Source: Xueyi, Touhid & Jiniya, China Media Group (CMG).