China hits out at Japanese PM’s five-nation tour of ‘confrontation’
- Beijing says Kishida is hyping the ‘China threat’ and playing up regional tensions
- Taiwan cannot be compared with Ukraine, Chinese foreign ministry says
On the final leg of his five-nation Asian and European tour, Kishida signed a reciprocal access agreement with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday and – in a veiled swipe at China – vowed to help realise a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian accused Kishida of fanning anti-China sentiment on his trip to Britain, Italy, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, saying the visits were an attempt to expand Japan’s military power – something prohibited under its pacifist constitution.
“The Japanese side frequently uses diplomatic activities to … talk about China, play up regional tensions, and hype the so-called China threat. What Japan is doing is [trying to] find an excuse for its own expansion of military power, and to undermine the trust and cooperation of countries in the region.”
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Japan’s defence strategy set for a boost after PM attends annual military review ceremony