As tensions increase in the Pacific region, Chinese naval manoeuvres have sparked a war of words with their maritime neighbour Japan.
Over the weekend of the 7-8th June, Chinese warplanes flew provocatively close to Japanese counterparts, sometimes for extended periods of time. At one point, a J-15 fighter allegedly came within 45 metres of a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft.
The Japanese government reprimanded China for these actions. The Japanese military’s chief of staff, Yoshihide Yoshida told the media: “We do not believe that this approach was made by mistake. Given it happened for 40 minutes and 80 minutes, for two days in a row, our understanding is that it was done on purpose.”
Japan voiced “serious concern” about the incident.
China’s foreign ministry responded by accusing Japan of recklessness: “The root cause of the risk to maritime and air security was the close reconnaissance of China’s normal military activities by a Japanese warplane. The Chinese side urges the Japanese side to stop this kind of dangerous behaviour.”
A number of countries have levelled similar charges – the US, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, and Canada – against China at various times.
During the manoeuvres, Chinese ships entered waters in Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said that his country had “conveyed an appropriate message to the Chinese side.”
Image by Gorguy Kane from Pixabay