Territorial airspace Violation by China: Simply Saying, ‘We Had No Intention,’ is Unacceptable

Editorial

17:38 JST, August 31, 2024

After violating Japanese territorial airspace, China simply said that it has “no intention” of violating the sovereignty of other countries. Is it an admission of the violation or merely a general statement? It is not clear.

If it intends to get away with vague wording, it is being nothing but dishonest.

Toshihiro Nikai, former secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, and other members of the Japan-China Parliamentary Friendship Association, visited Beijing the day after a Chinese military plane violated the airspace off the Danjo Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture.

In a meeting with Zhao Leji, the third-ranking official of the Chinese Communist Party, Nikai expressed regret over the airspace violation and strongly urged the prevention of a reoccurrence. Zhao, like the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that they had “no intention” of violating the airspace, and they expected proper communication between the authorities of the two countries.

A spokesperson for the China’s Ministry of National Defense also said that China has always respected the sovereignty of other countries, and they hope that it will not be overinterpreted.

Whether or not it violated airspace is a matter of fact, not a matter of interpretation. It is the responsibility of the Chinese side to provide a clear explanation so as not to create differences of interpretation.

The administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has emphasized stability in Japan-China relations. If China is taking advantage of this and assuming that Japan will not be able to take a strong stance on this issue, it is extremely misguided. Adherence to international norms is the foundation of stable relations.

Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said, “We are demanding the Chinese side explain the cause [of the violation] and other matters through diplomatic and defense channels.”

If airspace violations, which are serious violations of sovereignty, are not fully addressed, China may further escalate its provocations. Japan must properly demonstrate its will to absolutely defend its territorial airspace and waters.

Japan and China established last year a dedicated phone line between defense authorities to avoid accidental clashes. This kind of mechanism should be used to communicate with each other.

Southeast Asian countries that are in territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea must also be closely monitoring Japan’s response.

Near the Sabina Shoal, which is in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, a Philippine patrol vessel this month was hit by a China Coast Guard ship, breaching the patrol vessel’s hull.

A Chinese military aircraft fired several flares at close range toward an aircraft belonging to the Philippine authorities. This was a dangerous threat that could have led to a serious accident.

If the situation in the South China Sea, an important maritime transportation route, becomes unstable, it will adversely impact many countries.

In order to curb China’s reckless behavior, it is essential that Japan, the United States, Australia, and Southeast Asian countries work together to respond to the situation. It is important to expand exercises by defense authorities and joint training by maritime security agencies to enhance capabilities to deal with the situation.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 31, 2024)