China’s Ministry of National Defense: Urges Japan to stop stirring up trouble on the South China Sea issue

China News Service, Beijing, September 24 (Reporter Li Chun) The Chinese Ministry of National Defense held a regular press conference on the 24th. Spokesperson Jiang Bin said that he urged Japan to stop stirring up trouble on the South China Sea issue and stop undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.

A reporter asked that this year marks the 95th anniversary of the September 18th Incident. Before and after the anniversary, on the one hand, there are still politicians in Japan who continue to hype the Taiwan Strait as a so-called "existential crisis situation" in Japan. On the other hand, the United States, Japan and Australia are holding the "Eastern Shield 26" military exercise in many places in Japan, and Japan continues to promote the construction of missile and ammunition facilities on the southwestern islands.

Jiang Bin pointed out that the Japanese militarism deliberately caused the September 18th Incident, launched a war of aggression against China, and committed countless crimes against its Asian neighbors, including China, and the people of the world. To this day, Japan has not only failed to reflect on its historical responsibilities of aggression, but has repeated its old tactics, accelerating "remilitarization" in the name of a so-called "existential crisis situation" and threatening regional peace and stability. The international community should be highly vigilant and resolutely curb Japan's "new type of militarism".

Another reporter asked about a Philippine government ship provoking trouble in the waters near Xianbin Reef in China's Nansha Islands. After the incident, the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines quickly posted a message on social platforms, expressing "deep concern" about China's "dangerous actions" and claiming that it "adheres to the principle of the rule of law and opposes any action that aggravates tensions."

Jiang Bin pointed out that there are clear facts and irrefutable evidence regarding the provocation of a Philippine official ship at Xianbin Reef. Japan, as a country outside the South China Sea, ignores the facts and follows the Philippines to confuse right and wrong. Its fundamental purpose is to disrupt the South China Sea and seek personal gain. We are firmly opposed to this.

Jiang Bin said that for some time, Japan has been continuously strengthening its ties with the Philippines, exporting weapons and equipment to the Philippines, sending troops to the Philippines to participate in joint exercises, and launching offensive missiles abroad for the first time. It is trying to take the opportunity to break through the post-war international order and revisit its old dream of military expansion. This is the real threat to regional peace and stability. We urge Japan to first clearly explain its various actions of accelerating "remilitarization", stop stirring up trouble on the South China Sea issue, and stop undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.