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China says it will maintain patrols near Japan's new island base

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“We are playing close attention to Japan’s relevant military trends"

Like what? Building a nuke? Another stupid excuse by China to provoke its neighbors.

6 ( +15 / -9 )

"We are playing close attention to Japan’s relevant military trends,”

Do you think this means they're fans of the Defense Force's mascots too? China is going to use anything as an excuse to try and justify their actions and reasoning behind their mass military build up.

9 ( +16 / -7 )

"...comments posted on the ministry’s website."

Probably aimed more for the domestic Chinese audience. They can't let any Japanese military announcement go unanswered.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Well, there's also a pretty huge US build up in Asia, at the Philippines, South Korea, Japan and so on. So, all China is doing is countering this.

Although, when we say China is doing this, it isn't China really, is it? It's certain individuals high up in Chinese politics who are doing it, just as high ups in US politics are. The average guy in any country doesn't really give it a lot of thought. We just want to get on with our lives. We don't want to be woken in the middle of the night with gunfire and bombs at the end of the street.

What's the point of spending all this time and money “defending” ourselves against those guys over there who are spending a lot of time and money “defending” themselves against us.

Why can't we just call it quits and put this enormous energy to doing something constructive?

We've only got this place. Planet Earth. That's it. There's nowhere else to go.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to look for ways we can get on?

-8 ( +8 / -16 )

BertieWoosterApr. 25, 2014 - 08:40AM JST Well, there's also a pretty huge US build up in Asia, at the Philippines, South Korea, Japan and so on. So, all China is >doing is countering this.

This is what we call putting the cart before the horse. All that you describe has been CAUSED by China. Many of us have noted that until 2002 or so when China's military began to talk about owning all of the East and South China Seas the region was quite peaceful without so much tension.

4 ( +13 / -9 )

Ye, before 2002 China is not ready to talk about East and South China seas because they have taken Deng's idea to take low profile and wait until strong enough to talk about these things. China has won 30 years of peaceful times to make itself strong and now it is time to talk about those territories disbuted with it neighbours. China has never given up those territories but put aside temperarily waiting for chance. Chinese have always taken long term strategy on strategic matters.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Well, there's also a pretty huge US build up in Asia, at the Philippines, South Korea, Japan and so on. So, all China is doing is countering this.

Chicken or egg? This is the problem with arms races: Both sides insist it's the other that started it.

However, in this case, it's fairly clear and quite well-documented that China has been focused on a considerable build-up of its military capabilities since the mid-90s, long before any U.S. "pivot" towards Asia. Between 1995 and 2003, China's military budget has doubled. In 1995, that budget was roughly US$13 billion. Total that budget now exists in the range of US$112 to $160 billion, a thirteen-fold increase. Since 2003, China has increased its military spending by at minimum 10% annually, with the 2014 budget seeing the greatest spike of 12.2%. China set on a course to become not just a regional power, but also a world power some 20 years ago, a goal it has hardly been shy about of with the announcement of its China's Peaceful Rise policy under Premier Hu Jintao.

Which begs the obvious question: Why? Is China simply seeking to prevent itself from ever again becoming the whipping boy of Asia, as it was for so long under the shameless predations of colonial powers like England? Is China resolving to never again be at the mercy of US military surveillance overflights like the one that killed a PRC pilot in 2001 when his plane collided with a US Navy EP-3E ARIES II intelligence plane that was flying in China's exclusive economic zone? Or is China seeking to redress past war grievances the hard way, as many in the Japanese political establishment fear? Or is it all, as Hu Jintao insists, a purely peaceful endeavor with no negative intentions towards its Asian neighbors?

With China's recent unilateral extension of its Air Defense Zone over territories that are de facto administered parts of not only Japan, but also South Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan, it's difficult for many to believe that China's intentions are anything but opportunistically hostile.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Stay out of Japan's territorial waters and in your own, and you can patrol wherever you want, China.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

(sighs heavily) Typical China. They're not even trying to de-escalate tensions are they? Well, I suppose as long as they stick to their territorial waters everything will be fine. But they don't do that. They come into international waters then lurk very close to Japan's territorial waters, prompting a defensive response as the two fleets continue to shadow each other time and again. We just have to hope that both sides keep their cool and don't hit the "fire" button; accidentally or otherwise.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

And what does Taiwan say? Yonaguni is Japanese territory. That's indisputible. It is also quite close to Taiwan.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

And what does Taiwan say? Yonaguni is Japanese territory. That's indisputible. It is also quite close to Taiwan.

It is true that media and posters have been highlighting tensions between PRC and Japan only. There are no single piece of news about Japanese fishing authority has diluted treaty of Taiwan fishing rights. Taiwan may be not recognized as souvenir state. However Taiwan went further than PRC or Japan for sending heavily armed Navy and fighter jets inside the Philippines maritime zone for displeasure of their fisherman death.

Obama has treaty obligation for defending Japan for PRC if there is conflict. If Taiwan and Phillipines or Japan and ROK settle with force, he should stay out of other ally business. More likely US ally want to settle with each other instead of big fish PRC. Besides that PRC has never stolen Taiwan or ROK air and sea boundary like Japan. Japan ADIZ is five times larger than the whole Japan.

According Mr Putin, Obama can not cross the red line as Assad of Syria. Obama can talks touch. however he has no substance and decisiveness like Mr Bush who was powerlessly to intervene Georgia as ethnic cleansing of Serbia. Both are loose cannons lack the real actions with bigger opponent of Russia or PRC.

If he has real commitment, he has blocked PRC ship or plane for long time ago. PRC patrol ships have come and go for many decades now. Obama is fair weather friend who will change his tone for pleasing the different host. He is unreliable and unpredictable. If Obama will keep his sugar coated words, Angles will fly over South China Sea.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Yep, Obama's statement really had a clear, calming effect...

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Although, when we say China is doing this, it isn't China really, is it? It's certain individuals high up in Chinese politics who are doing it, just as high ups in US politics are.

Please keep this in mind when you make your anti-american military comments too.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

japan should just build a dozen nukes and get the arms race over with.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

they should do much more than that. build a bridge to it from china. its not that far. let the japanese try the same thing they will be building it for the next 100 years

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Many of us have noted that until 2002 or so when China's military began to talk about owning all of the East and South China Seas the region was quite peaceful without so much tension.

The truth is if China only started to claim Taiwan (including Diaoyu islands) and the Spratly Islands and Paracel Islands in 2002, there would be no basis for the US to demand Japan to give up its claim on Taiwan and the Spratly Islands and Paracel in the San Francisco Peace Treaty:

Article 2 (b)

(b) Japan renounces all right, title and claim to Formosa and the Pescadores

Article 2 (c)

(c) Japan renounces all right, title and claim to the Kurile Islands

Article 2 (f)

Japan renounces all right, title and claim to the Spratly Islands and to the Paracel Islands.

Even though the US refused to name China as the owner of Taiwan, Spratly Islands and Paracel Islands and the Soviet Union as the owner of Kuril Islands as punishment for the Cold war and Korean war, if the US did not recognize China's claim over Taiwan, Spratly Islands and Paracel Islands and the Soviets' claim over the Kurile Islands, they would have been placed under the UN trusteeship system (UN system for decolonization) as unclaimed territories such as the Pacific Islands and Ryukyu Islands:

Article 2 (d)

(d) Japan renounces all right, title and claim in connection with the League of Nations Mandate System, and accepts the action of the United Nations Security Council of 2 April 1947, extending the trusteeship system to the Pacific Islands formerly under mandate to Japan.

And Article 3

Japan will concur in any proposal of the United States to the United Nations to place under its trusteeship system, with the United States as the sole administering authority, Nansei Shoto south of 29deg. north latitude (Ryukyu Islands but excluding the Diaoyu/Senkakus which are located further south between north latitude 25 to 26 degree)

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Although, when we say China is doing this, it isn't China really, is it? It's certain individuals high up in Chinese politics who are doing it, just as high ups in US politics are.

No one is saying, it's the CHINESE PEOPLE, come on now! You are taking it totally out of its proper context. I think you just do not have a clue as to how geopolitics work.

The average guy in any country doesn't really give it a lot of thought. We just want to get on with our lives. We don't want to be woken in the middle of the night with gunfire and bombs at the end of the street.

That's all nice and good in a loving hippie world of incense and peppermints kind of lifestyle, but the reality is, NO one wants a war. But sometimes in order to keep the peace, it might be your only option when all else fails, if you think not, then you are weak, because your stronger adversary would definitely jump on the opportunity to kill you. China knows this, Putin knows this, Syria knows this, but Obama doesn't.

What's the point of spending all this time and money “defending” ourselves against those guys over there who are spending a lot of time and money “defending” themselves against us.

If the U.S. thought like that, we'd still be a colony of the UK.

Why can't we just call it quits and put this enormous energy to doing something constructive?

In order to do that, you need a strong economy and strong leadership, which the U.S. has neither.

We've only got this place. Planet Earth. That's it. There's nowhere else to go.

I'll just leave that one alone.....digress!

Wouldn't it be a good idea to look for ways we can get on?

Yes, but in order to do that and to keep the peace, you need to make sure some of these idiots like Putin and the Mullahs and Assad understand you can't gas innocent people when you want, annex a country when you want and build a nuclear bomb based on a prophecy to wipe out your enemies or infidels, if you want to look at it from that POV.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

"This is what we call putting the cart before the horse. All that you describe has been CAUSED by China. "

Yes, you know well that most people will happily forget that the U.S. military has been constantly swimming around China since the end of WWII. This is because most people are more interested in picking a side than analyzing the truth.

BertieWooster was spot on. The U.S. military presence is all over the globe. China is only in and around China. The U.S. still spends at least 5 times more on the military than China. China has watched the U.S. invade Iraq and Afghanistan on the thinnest of excuses and prosecute long wars there.

I don't much like China either, but pretending China is in no way reacting to U.S. militarism is like I said, taking sides and not analyzing the truth.

There is more to the Chinese military build up though, including seeing the U.S. get its way over and over for having the most well-funded and omnipresent military in the world.

Not expecting these simple facts to be recognized here though. Looking in the mirror is a hard thing for ugly people to do, and that applies to all sides.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

“China’s military will continue to carry out battle readiness patrols, military drills and other activities in the relevant area,” Yang said.

Thanks China, that'll save Japan having to buy target drones for target practice.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

China has every right to do so.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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