📢 Earlier today (Monday, December 15), Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, fired back at Japan for "hyping up" China’s regular carrier-based flight training as a security threat. Here’s a quick rundown:
Heads-up on the drill: On December 6, the PLA Navy task group led by carrier Liaoning (hull 16) – with support ship Nangchang (101) – notified JS Teruzuki (116) that they’d be conducting flight training south of the carrier starting at 3:00pm for about six hours. JS Teruzuki confirmed receipt of both notices, Jiang said.
Warning ignored: Despite that advance notice, Japanese fighter jets still entered the designated zone multiple times. The Chinese side called this "harassment" and held Japan responsible for endangering flight safety.
Blame game callout: Jiang accused Japan of twisting a routine drill into a "security threat," painting themselves as the victim while dodging real issues. "These political maneuvers to evade the real problem and shift attention will never work," he stressed.
Reflecting on history: Jiang also addressed questions about the 12th National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims (held December 13). He described the 1937 invasion and slaughter in Nanjing as "heinous crimes" and urged Japan to deeply reflect on its past actions, stop distorting history, and acknowledge the atrocities committed against the peoples of Asian countries.
As China-Japan relations hit another rough patch, this latest spat underscores how military transparency and historical memory are shaping regional dynamics. 🤔
Reference(s):
China denounces Japan for hyping up regular military training
cgtn.com
