Exercise to protect China
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E-mail China Daily, October 20, 2012
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The Chinese navy begins a joint exercise in the East China Sea with the country's fishery administration and marine surveillance agency on Oct. 19, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua] |
But Japan's sense of crisis might also grow in the face of China's soaring naval strength, he noted.
South Korea's Yonghap News Agency quoted an expert on foreign policies as saying that the drill is"obviously targeted at the US-Japan joint exercise" and exerting pressure on Japan.
The Friday drill has come on the eve of a joint military drill between Washington and Tokyo scheduled to start on Nov 5, which will involve the simulated retaking of a remote island from foreign forces.
This is the first time Japan and the US have had an"island retaking" drill on a Japanese offshore island.
In another move, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Oct 14 reviewed a major exercise marking the 60th anniversary of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, and was quoted saying that Japan faces"severe" challenges to its security.
Furthermore, Japan's Nippon Foundation on Friday announced it was abolishing an exchange program for field grade officers from the PLA and Japan's Self-Defense Forces that it started sponsoring in 2001.
The decision was made after the Chinese side asked to delay this year's activities due to the tensions.
Feng Wei from Fudan University said China-Japan military ties, which have been flagging in recent years, were further hampered by the cancellation.
China's exercise also takes place after dozens of Japanese parliamentary members, including two Cabinet ministers, visited the Yasukuni Shrine that honors Japan's war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals.
Chinese media slammed the head of Japan's top opposition party Shinzo Abe for also going, calling his visit a provocation.
Tensions sharply rose between Beijing and Tokyo after the Japanese government last month"nationalized" some of the Diaoyu Islands.
The move took ties between the world's second- and third-largest economies to the chilliest moment in decades. Anti-Japan protests broke out across China and hurt sales of Japanese-made products.
