China criticizes Japan's defense white paper  

日本发布防卫白皮书 炒作周边威胁难掩扩军野心

日本8月5日发布2014年版《防卫白皮书》，与以往相比，此次的白皮书首次加入变更宪法解释以解禁集体自卫权的内阁决议内容。通观该白皮书内容，专家分析称，安倍政权此次一方面抬高调门，渲染周边“威胁”，“全面警戒”中国，另一方面鼓吹解禁集体自卫权具有“历史意义”，蠢蠢欲动，妄图坐实扩军修宪野心。[查看全文]

China criticised Japan's latest defense white paper on Tuesday, accusing Japan of using the so-called China threat as an excuse for its military buildup.

The Japanese cabinet approved a defense white paper for 2014 on Tuesday. It said Japan needs to improve its defense capacity to cope with an increasingly severe security environment, and points out threats from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, China and Russia.

It expressed strong concern about China's military development and activity in the East China and South China seas; the establishment of an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea; and an "unusually close encounter" between Chinese and Japanese military aircraft.

China's Ministry of National Defense said in a press release that Japan has ignored the facts, made groundless charges and deliberately played up the China threat.

"All this is done as an excuse for Japan to adjust military and security policies and expand its military," the ministry said, expressing "firm opposition".

"We are assessing the details of the white paper and will make further comment in due course," the ministry added.

The white paper also proposes that Japan should play a dominant role in regional and international cooperation in the defense arena, which is regarded by analysts as Abe administration's attempt to make Japan into a military power.