China sends planes to Pacific

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense confirmed to the Global Times Wednesday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has sent military planes to the western Pacific for "regular" training, stating the mission does not target any specific country.

The response came after Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Wednesday that a Y-8 early warning aircraft of the PLA had flown for the first time in the international airspace between Okinawa and Miyako Island, and Japan's fighter jets had quickly scrambled to meet it.

The Chinese Defense Ministry said the plane had a legitimate right to fly through international airspace according to international laws.

A government paper by the Japanese Defense Ministry will be released this week, suggesting Japan acquire amphibious units like the US Marines and surveillance drones to be used to protect and monitor the country's far-flung territory, the Asahi Shimbun and the Yomiuri Shimbun were quoted by AFP as reported.

The interim report advocates a Marines-like amphibious force, capable of conducting landing operations on remote islands, reported the newspapers, adding that the report, which will be reflected in Japan's long-term defense outline, also suggests the country needs to boost a comprehensive containment capabilities as part of anti-ballistic missile measures.

"Japan is too sensitive about Chinese military aircraft over the Miyako Strait. In fact, it is normal for China to launch training in the western Pacific," LüYaodong, a researcher with the Institute of Japanese Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Liu Jiangyong, vice director of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times that Japan has made the wrong strategic judgment on China, treating the latter as its major military rival.

"Whenever China has military activities in this area, Japan immediately protests," said Liu.

"The interim report appears to suggest that Japan needs to strengthen the management of its offshore islets, but its main target is to control the Diaoyu Islands," said Lü, adding that taking unilateral action on the disputed islands wouldn't work.

Former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama said in Tokyo Thursday that in accordance with the Cairo Declaration in 1943, Japan should return the territory that it seized, adding that China's claims to the Diaoyu Islands are "understandable," the Tokyo-based ribenxinwen.com reported late Thursday.

Liu noted that the report serves to revise Japan's defense outline and its long-term goal is to revise its pacifist constitution. "The two sides are confronting in the sea with both sending vessels, increasing the odds for conflicts," said Liu.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to talk with Philippine officials about providing patrol vessels during his three-country visit to Southeast Asia that started Thursday.