On the afternoon of 17 May, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, deputy director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, issued a news release on recent military-related issues.
On the afternoon of 17 May, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, deputy director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, issued a news release on recent military-related issues. Photo by Lu Zhe
First, I post a message.
On 17 May, the Air Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army organized military attachés of foreign embassies in China to visit a certain brigade of the Hangzhou Air Force. During the visit, military attachés of various countries in China visited the static display of the J-7 aircraft and interacted with Chinese officers and soldiers.
Reporter: The Philippine Secretary of Defense recently said that the Philippine Department of Defense has never participated in any internal agreement with China on Ren'ai Jiao. According to the Philippine Foreign Ministry, no cabinet-level official in the Marcos administration has agreed to the proposal on Ren'ai Jiao between China and the Philippines. Do you have any comment?
Zhang Xiaogang: Recently, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly briefed China and the Philippines on the basic facts on the management of the situation at Ren'ai Jiao, and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has released the relevant content of the communication between China and the Philippines on the control of Ren'ai Jiao. It is worth pointing out that the "gentlemen's agreement", internal understanding and "new model" reached between China and the Philippines on the Ren'ai Jiao issue based on humanitarian considerations are conducive to managing differences, avoiding conflicts, building mutual trust, and maintaining peace and stability in the relevant maritime areas. In the face of ironclad facts, the Philippine side has denied and quibbled the Filipino people and the international community in every possible way. People cannot stand without trust, and the country is not strong without trust. China urges the Philippines to abide by the basic norms governing international exchanges and stop making false narratives and making unreasonable claims, otherwise it will only shoot itself in the foot and ultimately gain more than it loses.
Reporter: The President of the Philippines recently said that he has no intention of provoking or exacerbating tensions in the South China Sea and will not use water cannons or any offensive equipment to attack anyone. However, media reported that this year's US-Philippine "shoulder to shoulder" joint exercise, a model of an aircraft carrier with a suspected appearance of the "Liaoning" appeared on the sand table, and a drill was organized to sink a Chinese-made ship. Do you have any comment?
Zhang Xiaogang: The Philippine side's words and deeds are self-contradictory and self-defeating. On the South China Sea issue, who is saying one thing and doing another? Who is taking the initiative to provoke and create incidents? Who is engaged in bloc confrontation and aggravated tensions in the South China Sea? The world can see it clearly. As for the relevant subjects of the US-Philippine joint exercise, it is a typical method of Ah Q's spiritual victory. The Chinese armed forces have always been untroubled and fearless, and if some people want to pull the banner of the tiger and form gangs to coerce and pressure the Chinese side, it is a complete miscalculation. We are urging the Philippine side not to act rashly and stop all acts of infringement and provocation. China will continue to take resolute and resolute measures to resolutely defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
On the afternoon of 17 May, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, deputy director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, issued a news release on recent military-related issues. Photo by Lu Zhe
Reporter: According to media reports, the US Army delivered the Tomahawk cruise missile launch system to the Philippines to participate in military exercises. Do you have any comment on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: The deployment of land-based intermediate-range missiles by the US in the Philippines has seriously undermined China's strategic security, seriously threatened regional national security, and seriously undermined regional peace and stability. China has repeatedly expressed its solemn position of resolute opposition to this.
In recent years, the US has been breaking treaties and withdrawing from the group in the field of arms control, undermining the arms control treaty system, and causing a serious impact on global strategic security and stability. The countries concerned are willing to be instruments of hegemony and pawns, and the deployment of strategic offensive weapons with Cold War overtones to other countries will only increase greater security risks for themselves. We urge the US to face up to regional national security concerns and stop its dangerous moves that aggravate regional tensions. China will take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard its security interests.
Reporter: Not long ago, China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, completed its maiden voyage, and some media commented that this was a key step in China's large-scale naval build-up, and that the inaugural voyage of China's US-Philippine "shoulder-to-shoulder" joint exercise was intended to send a signal to all parties in the South China Sea that China was ready for combat. Do you have any comment on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: Recently, the Fujian, the mainland's third aircraft carrier, successfully completed its first voyage test, and conducted a series of tests on power, power and other system equipment, achieving the expected results, and the next step will be to carry out follow-up tests according to the established plan. The Fujian's navigation test is a normal arrangement during the construction process and is not aimed at any specific target, region or country.
China's independent research and development and construction of aircraft carriers is necessary to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. China is unswervingly committed to the path of peaceful development and a national defense policy that is defensive in nature.
On the afternoon of 17 May, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, deputy director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, issued a news release on recent military-related issues. Photo by Lu Zhe
Reporter: According to reports, the US guided missile destroyer USS Halsey recently sailed through the Taiwan Strait and broke into China's territorial waters in the Paracels, claiming that it is illegal to set a straight baseline in the Paracels in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and that the United States will sail, fly and carry out operations wherever international law permits. Do you have any comment on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: We strongly deplore and resolutely oppose the US warship's passage through the Taiwan Strait and its unauthorized intrusion into the internal waters and territorial waters of the Xisha Paracels, and we have lodged solemn representations with the US side, and the spokespersons of the Eastern and Southern Theaters have also responded.
Under the current situation in the Taiwan Strait, the US has deliberately provoked troubles, threatened China's sovereignty and security, sent wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces, and undermined regional peace and stability. The Xisha Islands are China's inherent territory, and the Chinese Government promulgated the baselines of the territorial sea of the Xisha Islands as early as 1996, which is in line with international law and practice. The US is not a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, but it has repeatedly used the UNCLOS to make up for it, and even sent warships to trespass into the internal waters and territorial waters of the Xisha Islands, which is a provocative act that violates China's sovereignty, threatens China's national security and endangers regional peace and stability. The above-mentioned erroneous actions of the US side are not conducive to maintaining the momentum of stopping the decline and stabilizing the relations between China and the United States and the two militaries. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) always maintains high vigilance, resolutely counters any infringement and provocation, and resolutely safeguards national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Reporter: According to US media reports, the Taiwan authorities seek to increase the number of so-called military attachés in the Taipei Scripture Office in Honolulu from four to 10, and closely coordinate and share intelligence with the US Indo-Pacific Headquarters. It was also reported that Taiwan and the U.S. Navy conducted joint military exercises in the western Pacific in April. Do you have any comment on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: We have noted relevant reports. The DPP authorities colluded with external forces to create chaos in their vain attempt to "seek independence by relying on the United States" and "resisting reunification by force." They are bound to fail. The US side should fully recognize the highly sensitive nature of the Taiwan issue, stop any form of official exchanges and military contacts with China's Taiwan region, stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and earnestly implement its commitment not to support "Taiwan independence". The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests, and China will resolutely and resolutely fight back against all "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external connivance and support.
Source: Ministry of National Defense Network Editor-in-charge: Li Qingtong