©picture alliance / Anadolu | Kremlin Press Service / Handout
On Sunday, China conducted live-fire exercises together with Russia near Japan, within the country’s exclusive economic zone. According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the Chinese Luyang III destroyer conducted a live-fire exercise off the coast of Okinotori on Sunday, while Japan monitored the movements of a joint Chinese-Russian fleet.
Earlier in the day, the Japanese Navy spotted four ships—three Chinese vessels and a Russian frigate—sailing about 330 kilometers southwest of Okinotori. It was later confirmed that the Chinese Luyang III destroyer was conducting live-fire exercises about 180 kilometers from the island, while the Russian frigate was in the vicinity. Tokyo deployed its own ships and military aircraft to monitor the situation and ensure safety. The Japanese government made it clear that it views the exercise as a cause for concern. According to a spokesperson, diplomatic channels were used to contact Beijing to emphasize that the action could have endangered other ships. Japan cites this as an additional reason for vigilance now that China and Russia are visibly stepping up their military cooperation.
According to Japanese media, this may be the first time China has conducted live-fire exercises in Japanese waters. China and Russia have been cooperating at sea for some time and held a joint maritime exercise near Qingdao earlier this month. Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have been mounting for some time. In early July, Japanese and Chinese coast guards clashed, while Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested late last year that Japan might intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan. Beijing responded at the time with criticism, tighter trade restrictions, and a call for Chinese citizens to avoid Japan.
©picture alliance / Anadolu | Kremlin Press Service / Handout