The Chinese People’s Liberation Army launched five missiles into Japan’s exclusive economic zone in early August, which became the focus of international attention.Photo: Reprinted from the Japanese Ministry of Defense
China conducted exercises around my country on the 4th of this month, and five missiles were fired into Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Nikkei Asia senior reporter Katsuji Nakazawa wrote earlier that the move was a deliberate attempt by Beijing to send a tough message to Japan that the maritime dispute between Japan and China may expand from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean.
Nakazawa Keji pointed out that there is currently no sign that the Chinese military is out of control, so China launched five ballistic missiles into Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and the order should come from Xi Jinping.
According to Zhongze Ke Er’s analysis, when US Senate President Nancy Pelosi came to Taiwan on the 2nd of this month, the People’s Liberation Army had already demarcated six areas around Taiwan. In the early morning of the 4th, another area was added, which partially overlapped with the eastern part of Taiwan announced on the 2nd, but was closer to the main island of Taiwan. The most important thing was to avoid Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
In short, the newly added exercise area is less provocative, and any missiles that land there will not be seen as a direct intimidation of Japan. Nakazawa Keji said that China’s Central Military Commission realized the seriousness of the matter and prepared several sets of plans. Until the last moment, there was a more moderate option to consider excluding Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
But on the day of the exercise on the 4th, no missiles landed in the 7th exercise area, which is less likely to conflict with Japan. All five missiles fell within the initial zone announced on August 2.
Even under the August 2 plan, there is an option to avoid Japan’s exclusive economic zone. But China, or more specifically Xi Jinping, has not taken that option.
If only one missile landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, China could say it happened “by chance”. But the five missiles landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, showing that China has a clear intention to send a tough message to Japan.
Technically speaking, military exercises in other countries’ exclusive economic zones are not prohibited. But there is no doubt that China’s move this time constitutes a blatant provocation.
So far, the Sino-Japanese maritime issue has mainly focused on the East China Sea; now, the feud is likely to expand to the Pacific Ocean. Such drastic steps could not have been taken without Xi Jinping’s approval. Mr. Nakazawa said that part of Xi’s motivation to demonstrate China’s strength was to demonstrate that he was different from past leaders Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao. Xi Jinping’s personal desire to surpass Deng Xiaoping’s sense of mission will have a huge impact on Japan.
Nakazawa said some witnesses seemed surprised when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi heard the missile hit Japan’s exclusive economic zone. However, Wang Yi still canceled the meeting that China had actively arranged with the Japanese foreign minister. On the 17th, Japan’s National Security Director, Takeo Akiba, held a seven-hour meeting in Tianjin with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and China’s top diplomat. After Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was diagnosed, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang also paid their respects separately.
Nakazawa Keji asked, after Fumio Kishida recovers, will Japan and China take a diplomatic approach, or will they go to war? It is worth noting that September 29 marks the 50th anniversary of the “normalization of diplomatic relations” between the two countries.