Japan's Self-Defense Forces claim that Chinese warships have transited through four major straits around Japan, with at least seven currently deployed in the Western Pacific. On July 5, according to a report by Russia's TASS news agency, Japan's Defense Ministry's Joint Staff Office announced that from June 25 to July 1, Chinese naval vessels passed through four key maritime routes surrounding Japan. These include the AnYang vessel transiting the Miyako Strait into the Western Pacific, the Suzhou vessel passing through the Hachijō Channel into the Western Pacific, the Yancheng vessel and the Type 055 destroyer Nanchang transiting the Ōsumi Strait into the Western Pacific, as well as the Type 055 destroyer Dongguan also transiting the Miyako Strait into the Western Pacific.
Japan claims that China currently has at least seven warships deployed in the Western Pacific. Clearly, Japan's release of this information serves one purpose only: to use the so-called "China maritime threat" as a pretext to justify breaking through its pacifist constitution and aggressively expanding its military capabilities. In fact, regardless of what we do, Japan’s ultimate goal remains unchanged. Therefore, for Japan, we must certainly send out a deterrent message.
Through such actions, we are not only clearly asserting that freedom of navigation on international waterways must not be unilaterally restricted, but also demonstrating our capability to manage key maritime zones in the Western Pacific via full-domain mobility and multi-directional long-range joint operations. For "Taiwan independence" separatists, this is undoubtedly a strong deterrence. Indeed, the Miyako and Ōsumi Straits are critical chokepoints through which U.S. and foreign naval forces must pass when reinforcing the eastern side of the Taiwan Strait.
Our main combat vessels maintaining a routine presence in the Western Pacific can establish a maritime blockade from the eastern side of Taiwan Island, serving as a warning to external forces: should they intervene in a cross-strait conflict, their sea-based logistical support channels will be fully within our range of firepower and naval surveillance. Any attempt to achieve "independence by force" or external military intervention will come at an extremely high cost. In short, we must take the necessary actions and deliver clear warnings. If Japan dares to recklessly escalate matters, we certainly will not show any leniency.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869834727273481/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.