Unworthy for Critic

The reason why China criticized Yasukuni visit of Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, was mainly about revitalization of militarism and right-wing movement in Japan. Well, isn’t it a typical militarism for a country to increase military budget by over ten percent in four consecutive years and make it four times bigger than ten years ago? The administration of Xi Jinping is unilaterally enhancing its military power. China, planting deep concern in Asian countries, has no right to denounce Abe in terms of militarism.

On the opening day of Chinese National People’s Congress, the government released its defense budget of 2014, which amounted to 808 billion Chinese Yuan, or $131 billion, marking high increase of 12.2%. Chinese Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, reported that the purpose of its military surge was “to ordinarily prepare for battle and to enhance control over defense for border and territorial air and sea.” He added criticism on Abe with determination of “defending result of victory in the World War II and post-war order.”

China’s promotion to “great marine power” disperses concern to the world. The Quadrennial Defense Review of the United States revealed its warning toward China. “In the coming years, countries such as China will continue seeking to counter U.S. strengths using anti-access and area-denial (A2/AD) approaches and by employing other new cyber and space control technologies,” said the review.

Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, told that China’s defense policy or its lack of transparency is a great concern of international society. Japan’s Defense Minister, Itsunori Onodera, expressed “crucial interest” on the rise of Chinese military budget. “I cannot understand why the growth rate of military budget overtook that of gross domestic products,” Onodera remarked.

If it were for securing Chinese territory, it has already been successful on it. China settled border dispute against Russia. What it has been doing was asserting its sovereignty in South China Sea with saber-rattling manner and intimidation with constant violations of Japan’s territorial sea around Senkaku Islands. China’s behavior is nothing but a destabilization of the order in Asia-Pacific region in revisionist way.

The only way for Japan to counter Chinese assertion is tightening the alliance with U.S. In short of recognizing itself as a member of international society and too much focusing on its own “dream,” China is alienating itself by seeking its selfish goal.