Japan voices concern as China conducts military exercises around Taiwan – Firstpost

Japan said on Wednesday that the Chinese military exercises around Taiwan  increased tension between the regions, escalating the war into a full scale conflict and claiming Taiwan as its own territory.  

Japan has said that they have expressed their concerns to Beijing. “The recent military exercises conducted by the Chinese military around Taiwan constitute actions that increase tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and the Government of Japan has conveyed its concerns to the Chinese side,” said foreign ministry press secretary Toshihiro Kitamura.

Beijing maintained that the drills were conducted to test what it claimed was its combat readiness and to send a “serious warning” against any push for Taiwanese independence.

“It has been the consistent position of the Government of Japan that it expects that the issue surrounding Taiwan will be resolved peacefully through dialogue,” Kitamura said in a statement as quoted by AFP.  

“Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are important for the international community as a whole. We will continue to monitor related developments with strong interest,” he added.

It is important to note that China’s latest drill came after Beijing expressed anger at a remark by Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi who said her country could respond militarily if China were to move to take control of Taiwan by force. “This exercise serves as a serious warning to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external interfering forces, and is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard national sovereignty and maintain national unity,” she said.

The Chinese drills this week involved dozens of fighter aircraft and navy vessels conducting live-fire drills, simulating a blockade of Taiwan’s key ports and assaults on maritime targets.

China has repeatedly claimed that Taiwan is a sovereign territory and has refused to rule out military action to seize the island democracy.