Japan warned over hampering drills
Print Edition
China’s defense ministry has filed a stern representation to Japan over its provocation during Chinese military drill in the western Pacific.
China said a Japanese naval warship and surveillance aircraft stayed too close during its recent naval exercises.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Ikazuchi (DD 107) and a reconnaissance aircraft remained in the exercise area for an undue amount of time, monitoring Chinese activity at close distance and seriously disturbing the drill, a Ministry of National Defense spokesman said yesterday.
The Japanese warship entered the exercise area at 10:41am last Friday despite repeated warnings by the Chinese side and stayed until Monday morning.
Almost the same time, a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft hovered around during the exercises, spokesman Yang Yujun said.
Several Chinese naval ships were also under surveillance and were followed by Japanese Self-Defense Force ships and aircraft on their way to the exercise area, Yang added.
China had informed the International Maritime Organization last Wednesday about the live ammunition drill at high sea in accordance with international practice and alerted ships and aircraft en route to avoid the area.
Yang said China had made it known that Japan reflect on its mistakes, take actions to correct them, stop all activities that disturb China’s legitimate military drills and make sure no such incident happens again.
“These actions by the Japanese ships and aircraft have not only disturbed our legitimate drills, but also imposed hazards to the navigation safety of our ships and aircraft, and may even lead to misjudgment, misfire and other incidents,” Yang said.
“All consequences that arise shall be borne by the Japanese side,” Yang said. “The Chinese side reserves the right to take further actions.”
But China allowed Japanese vessels to enter the area to facilitate the rescue of a fishing vessel out of humanitarian concern when Japanese authorities notified China about it on October 23, Yang said.
The drill, also called the Maneuver 5 exercise, is the first open-sea drill that includes vessels and aircraft.
Participating troops set sail for the area on October 18 and started a confrontation drill in the west Pacific last Friday.
A series of operations was carried out during the exercise, including early warning reconnaissance and command and control capabilities. The drill aims to improve open-sea combat and command actions and the navy’s ability to safeguard national security and maritime interests.
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