China on Monday warned against military co-operation that could undermine trust as the US and the Philippines begin annual military exercises with expanded participation from Japan.
“What the Asia-Pacific region most needs is peace and tranquillity, and what it least needs is the introduction of external forces to create division and confrontation,” Guo Jiakun, a ministry spokesperson, said at a regular press briefing in Beijing when asked about the drills.
Military co-operation between nations should not undermine mutual understanding and trust among regional countries, disrupt regional peace and stability, be directed against third parties or harm their interests, Guo said.
“We would like to remind the relevant countries that persisting in tying themselves together on security will only lead to setting themselves on fire and backfiring,” he said.
The annual “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder) drills from April 20 to May 8 will see members of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces taking part in live-fire drills for the first time.
The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Monday in the first transit of the sensitive waterway by a large warship since late last year. On Friday, China’s military said it had deployed naval and air forces to monitor the Japanese destroyer JS Ikazuchi that transited the strait.
The warship is listed as part of the units participating in the multilateral exercises, according to a statement from Japan’s ministry of defence.
Asked about Ikazuchi’s presence in the strait and Japan’s involvement in the military drills, Guo said Tokyo should exercise caution, rather than “flaunting its military might everywhere and undermining regional stability”.
Reuters
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