China criticizes Japan’s 2011 defense white paper

Beijing: China Thursday expressed “strong opposition” to Japan’s 2011 defense white paper, saying the document plays up the “China threat theory” and has ulterior motives.

Defense ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng made the remark while responding to a question on the white paper released Tuesday by the Japanese government, reported Xinhua.

The “Defense of Japan 2011” report states that “attention needs to be paid” to the Chinese military’s recent maritime activities, Japan Times reported.

“China’s future actions are worrisome, given what can be interpreted as its overbearing ways to address its clashing interests with neighboring countries, including Japan,” the Japan paper says.

The Chinese defense ministry spokesperson said: “China unswervingly adheres to the path of peaceful development, sticks to the policy of building friendship and partnership with neighboring countries and pursues the defensive nature of its national defense policy.”

China is modernizing its national defense systems and armed forces only to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and to ensure the smooth development of its economy and society, Geng added.