China urges Japan not to hype up regular military training

BEIJING: A Chinese military spokesperson on Monday urged the Japanese government not to hype up China’s regular military training as a so-called security threat, saying that it will never work for Japan to evade the real issue, to divert attention, or to recriminate.

Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a comment from Japan about a recent flight training of Chinese carrier-based aircraft.

Giving details of the incident, Jiang said that on December 6, PLANS Nangchang (101) of the naval task group led by PLANS Liaoning notified the Japanese side that the task group would conduct aircraft carrier-based flight training, with Japanese Ship JS Teruzuki (116) confirming reception of the message.

Later on, PLANS Nangchang (101) again notified the Japanese side that the training was expected to start from 3:00 p.m. and last for about six hours, mainly to the south of the carrier, with JS Teruzuki (116) again confirming reception of the message, he said.

Against this backdrop, Japanese fighter jets still intruded into the training zone multiple times to harass the Chinese side, the spokesperson said, emphasizing that Japan shall bear all the responsibility for endangering flight safety.

In doing so, Japan has once again lied to its own people and misled the international community by hyping up a regular military training of China as a so-called security threat and portraying itself, the real provoker, as a victim, he said.

Jiang urged Japan to squarely face up to the crux of the current difficulty in China-Japan relations, and earnestly reflect on and rectify its wrongdoings.

“Those despicable moves and political manipulation to evade the real issue, to divert attention, or to recriminate will never work,” he added.

Jiang also responded to another media query about memorial activities held across China on the 12th National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims.

Describing the Japanese invasion and slaughter in Nanjing on December 13, 1937 as “heinous crimes,” Jiang urged the Japanese side to deeply reflect on the atrocities it committed against peoples of Asian countries, including China, and stop all wrong actions in distorting and whitewashing its history of aggression.