BEIJING, Aug. 25 – “The series of military exercises and training conducted by the Chinese PLA near China’s Taiwan Island were open, transparent, professional and appropriate, and served as a warning and counterattack to the provocateurs and trouble makers,” Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), remarked at a regular press confrence Thursday.
According to media reports, some US and Japanese officials have made groundless accusations of the exercises and training carried out by the Chinese military near the Taiwan Island on many occasions recently.
“The remarks made by officials of relevant countries were nothing but completely confusing right with wrong and shifting blames, to which China has made clear its firm opposition on multiple occasions,” Tan responded.
He pointed out that the context that led to the current tensions in the Taiwan Straits are crystal-clear, and everyone can see the rights and wrong clearly. The military exercises and training the Chinese People’s Liberation Army conducted near China’s Taiwan Island recently were legitimate and just actions to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The US, as the initiator of the crisis, should and must bear full responsibility for it, he noted, adding that the US side should earnestly abide by the one-China principle and take immediate measures to correct its mistakes, instead of further escalating tensions across the Taiwan Straits.
Tan commented that Japan has recently echoed the negative words and deeds of the US regarding Taiwan and hyped up the so-called “China military threat”, which is extremely irresponsible.
For some time, Japan has continued to increase its defense budget and strengthen its military deployment, which has aroused high vigilance among countries in the region and the international community, Tan remarked.
The spokesperson urged the Japanese side to honestly reflect on its history of aggression, stop spreading rumors against and smearing the Chinese side, and do more things that are conducive to enhancing mutual trust with its neighbors and maintaining regional peace and stability.