China strongly opposes Japan’s recent efforts to strengthen security cooperation with NATO, and it appears that the recent violations of Japanese airspace by Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance planes were intended to intimidate. The Chinese military has also taken a hardline stance towards countries other than Japan.
According to a source linked to the Chinese Communist Party, Japan has been actively conducting joint training exercises with NATO member countries since July. The source believes that the airspace violation was meant to “gauge Japan’s reaction” and serve as “retaliation” for a previous incident involving an MSDF destroyer entering Chinese territorial waters in July.
The upcoming Liberal Democratic Party presidential election in Japan is currently receiving significant attention in China. The Chinese media regularly reports on candidate announcements and speculates about potential contenders. It is possible that these airspace violations are an attempt to assess how each candidate, including the future leader, will respond.
Chinese warplanes have also engaged in provocative actions against the United States. In late July, Chinese and Russian bombers conducted a joint strategic aerial patrol in Alaska’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) for the first time. This was likely a response to longstanding tensions between China and the US over issues such as Taiwan. Despite Beijing’s desire to stabilize diplomatic relations with Tokyo and Washington due to economic concerns, there may be disconnect between the government’s intentions and military actions.
China’s assertiveness is particularly evident in its territorial disputes in the South China Sea, particularly with countries like the Philippines. This month alone, China’s Air Force fired flares at a Philippine aircraft near Scarborough Shoal (also known as Huangyan Island), leading to a protest from the Philippines. Additionally, there have been collisions between Chinese and Philippine government ships on August 19th and 25th.
China’s recent actions demonstrate its willingness to take aggressive measures not only towards Japan but also towards other nations like the United States and Philippines. These incidents highlight ongoing tensions in various regions where territorial disputes persist.