China Expresses Serious Concern Over Japan's Advancement of Cooperation with NATO
Japan-NATO cooperation has raised serious concerns on the Chinese side, with regional security risks rising China is wary of remilitarization trends; click to learn about the Foreign Ministry's latest statement
On June 1, China's Foreign Ministry said it had expressed serious concern over Japan's moves to advance cooperation with NATO. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in response to a question at a regular press conference that Japan is continuously pushing ahead with "remilitarization" and strengthening interaction with military organizations outside the region, a move that has raised vigilance in the region and the international community.
Lin Jian pointed out that Japan's expansion of the scope of SelfDefense Forces activities and its development of a more combatcapable operational system have broken through the constraints of its constitution, international law, and domestic regulations, and have also deviated from the postwar principle of "exclusively defenseoriented defense" that it has long proclaimed.
The Chinese side believes that the relevant moves by Japan are inconsistent with its selfstyled image as a "peaceful country," and said that the socalled "new militarism" is taking shape, which may affect regional peace and stability, and called on the international community to remain highly vigilant.