Japan said on Thursday (June 17) that China’s military intentions are unclear, and the rapid expansion of its armed forces is a cause for serious concern. This situation requires Europe, the United States and other Asian countries to unite against Beijing.
“China has been strengthening its military capabilities very quickly, and we are not sure what China’s intentions are,” Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told the European Parliament’s Security and Defense Subcommittee.
“We are very concerned about this,” he said via a video link.
NATO leaders stated for the first time on Monday that China’s rise has brought “systemic challenges”. The focus of US President Joe Biden’s eight-day trip to Europe is to win support for the US strategy to contain China’s rise.
The Chinese delegation to the European Union denounced NATO, saying it was “committed to a defensive national defense policy.”
Kishi told EU lawmakers that China’s ballistic missiles, the decision to quadruple the defense budget of Japan, and its decision to militarize islands in the South China Sea all require “vigilant” observation to “maintain peace.”
“They are increasing the defense budget substantially,” he said. According to data from the US Department of Defense, “the international community must come up with a voice to approach China,” he also called on Beijing to explain why it is also rapidly developing its air force, which is now the world’s third largest air force. .
According to data based on the development of the United States in 2019, China has the world’s largest navy and has more warships and submarines than the United States, the world’s largest military power.
China also has more than 1,250 surface-launched ballistic missiles and land-based cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometers (311 miles) to 5,500 kilometers, which is longer than that of the United States. U.S. data shows that after signing China’s unfettered arms control agreement with Russia, the U.S. has no land-based cruise missiles.
