China Says Japan's Orient Shield Drills Threaten Regional Stability

China's Ministry of National Defense on Monday criticised Japan's ongoing joint military exercises with the United States and Australia, saying the drills harm other countries' security interests and threaten regional stability.

Defence ministry spokesman Jiang Bin made the remarks in response to a media query about the largest-ever Orient Shield exercises, which involve Japan's Self-Defense Forces alongside US and Australian forces and are being held mainly in and around Hokkaido from September 8 to 24.

Jiang said the exercise is presented as a defensive "shield" but in practice amounts to the forward deployment of strategic offensive weapons. He warned that it undermines the legitimate security interests of other countries, raises the risk of an arms race and military confrontation, and poses a serious threat to regional security and stability. China, he said, firmly opposes it.

The spokesman went on to accuse Japan of repeatedly breaching the constraints of its Pacifist Constitution and its exclusively defence-oriented policy while vigorously developing long-range offensive weapons. He said Tokyo has accelerated remilitarisation through joint military exercises with other countries and is pursuing military expansion.

Jiang further alleged that Japan is deliberately stoking regional tensions by catering to extra-regional forces and fostering bloc confrontation, and said it is gradually embarking on what he described as the dangerous path of neo-militarism.

He urged the countries involved to respect the security concerns of others, correct what he called erroneous practices, and contribute positively to regional peace and stability through concrete actions. Any move that fuels Japan's military ambitions, he warned, will only push the region into a dangerous vortex and will inevitably bring harm to those involved.