BEIJING – A senior Chinese military officer said in a recent interview with Kyodo News that Beijing did not want a war over the Tokyo-controlled Senkaku Islands claimed by China in the East China Sea, but it was also “not fearful” of armed conflict either.
Lt. Gen. He Lei, a former vice president of the People’s Liberation Army Academy of Military Sciences, also indicated the possibility that China would target the Senkakus, which it calls Diaoyu, as well if it attempted to capture Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island, through the use of force.
The rare reference by a senior Chinese military officer to a possible war over the Senkaku Islands suggests Beijing’s determination to gain control of the territory that Japan brought under state control in 2012.
The academy makes policy proposals to the PLA. He criticized Tokyo for purchasing the islands from Japanese private hands, stressing that Beijing would “firmly protect its national territory, sovereignty and maritime interests” if the Japanese side continues its “provocations.”
Tokyo should not underestimate the Chinese military’s “strong will, resolve and power” to safeguard national sovereignty, safety and territorial integrity, he warned.
The general said he believed issues surrounding Taiwan, which Beijing regards as its own, were one factor destabilizing Sino-Japanese relations and it was “impermissible to interfere with China’s core interests,” calling matters related to the island “a purely domestic issue” of the country.
Beijing claims the Senkakus are part of its Taiwan province. Asked whether China could launch an offensive to simultaneously target the seizure of Taiwan and the islets, He said such a scenario was in line with the mainland’s “principle.”
Mainland China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 as a result of a civil war. Beijing seeks to unify the two sides, by force if necessary.
Meanwhile, He pointed out the two Asian neighbors had put aside the territorial row, referring to the famous words of former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1978, suggesting to leave the issue to “the wisdom of future generations” during negotiations on the bilateral Treaty of Peace and Friendship concluded that year.
“We, the future generations, should have been able to solve the dispute, but Japan took a provocative action,” the officer said, blaming Tokyo’s step to change the status quo by bringing the islands under its direct control.
China frequently sends its vessels into Japanese waters around the uninhabited islets.
On the weekend, the two countries accused each other of maritime incursions after a confrontation between their coast guards in waters around the disputed islands.
China’s Coast Guard said on Sunday that a Japanese fishing boat and several patrol vessels intruded the previous day into waters around the Senkakus. China’s Coast Guard said in a statement it had taken necessary measures in accordance with the law to warn away the Japanese vessels.
Japan’s Coast Guard said on Saturday that two Chinese maritime patrol boats left Japan’s territorial waters around the islands after receiving warnings. It said its patrol vessels were protecting a Japanese fishing boat that had been approached by the Chinese ships.
Similar incidents occurred in November and October.
Asian maritime disputes involving China have been escalating. China and the Philippines traded accusations on Sunday over a collision between their vessels in a part of the South China Sea each nation claims, marking the second confrontation in as many days.
Source : TheJapanTimes
