BEIJING: China is deeply concerned over Japan’s recent military and security moves, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday.
Lin made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s vague remarks at the parliament about Japan’s principles of not to possess, produce or introduce nuclear weapons into its territory.
Takaichi remained vague and ambiguous in her stance on the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, hinting at the possibility of abandoning them, and senior Japanese officials have even claimed that they do not rule out the introduction of nuclear submarines, Lin said. “This fully exposes Japan’s significant and negative policy shift and sends a dangerous signal to the international community.”
During World War II, Japanese militarism launched wars of aggression, committed grave crimes against humanity, and brought profound sufferings to the region and the world, Lin said.
In recent years, Japan has significantly adjusted its security policy, increasing its defense budget year by year, relaxing restrictions on arms exports, seeking to develop offensive weapons, and straying further down the wrong path of military expansion, he said.
Recently, Takaichi made brazenly provocative remarks on the Taiwan question, implying the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, Lin said.
“Japan’s moves have inevitably raised strong doubts and concerns from its Asian neighbors and the international community. Has Japan made a clean break from militarism? Does the Japanese government genuinely adhere to its exclusively defense-oriented policy and the Three Non-Nuclear Principles? Will Japan continue to honor its commitments to peaceful development?” Lin said.
Lin urged the Japanese side to deeply reflect on its history of aggression, adhere to the path of peaceful development, stop seeking excuses for its own military expansion, and win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community with concrete actions. –The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
