China Def Min Lodges Complaint Against Japan's Annual Defence Paper

(MNI) London - Wires reporting that the Chinese Ministry of National Defence has 'lodged solemn representations with Japan' regarding the annual Defence of Japan White Paper (full paper in Japanese here, pamphlet in English here) published on 12 July. The ministry claims that the white paper is 'full of cliches', and is nothing more than 'using China as an excuse to deceive the Japanese people'. China 'urges the Japanese side to stop smearing and accusing China [and] be prudent in its words and actions in the field of military security.'

• The paper claims that, "Japan is facing the most severe and complex security environment since the end of WWII. It cannot be ruled out that a serious situation similar to Russia's aggression against Ukraine may occur in the Indo-Pacific region in future, particularly in East Asia."
• With specific regards to China, the paper claims its "...external posture, military activities, and other activities are a matter of serious concern for Japan..."
• Relations between China and Japan had been seen as, if not improving, then at least stabilising of late. A trilateral summit involving PM Fumio Kishida, Premier Li Qiang and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in May did not result in any major breakthroughs, but was at least the first such meeting in four years and seen as a signal of the potential for future discussion.