China urges Japan to reflect on historical crimes, stop justifying military expansion

China on Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to Japan's 2026 Defense White Paper, saying it once again targeted China with groundless accusations, rehashing the so-called "China threat" and grossly interfering in China's internal affairs with brazen comments on China's Taiwan region. China has lodged serious representations with Japan, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.

Lin said China is committed to peaceful development and a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. The military activities that were conducted are just and valid. He stressed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory and that the Taiwan question is entirely China's internal affair. How to resolve it is a matter for the Chinese ourselves and Japan is in no place to interfere. He also reiterated that the Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times, and this fact will never change no matter what the Japanese side says or does.

Lin noted that Japanese militarists once inflicted immense suffering on Asia and the world, and committed untold crimes. Yet Japan has not only failed to reflect on that history, but also kept speeding up remilitarization, breaching Japan's own Constitution and the international and domestic laws, and challenging the post-war international order. This has become a serious factor threatening regional peace and stability.

The latest white paper continues to trumpet the development of long-range offensive capabilities and new ways of warfare, and even packages Japan's rearmament as a growth driver. All these once again exposed the truth behind Japan's claim of being a "peaceful nation". The international community must stay on high alert and push it back.

China urges Japan to deeply repent for historical crimes, learn the lesson of history, stop cooking up justification for its military buildup, and step back from the wrong path, Lin said.