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Program Director, Security Studies, Sasakawa Peace Foundation
What's behind China's recent actions?
Obvious Double Standards
“None other than the United States and its allies are creating security risks. Their warships and aircraft fly close
to China's coastline and airspace, invade China's territorial waters or airspace under China's jurisdiction, maliciously interfere with China's normal military exercises, irresponsibly carry out dangerous operations, seriously damage China's sovereignty and
security interests, seriously endanger the safety of personnel from both sides, and seriously undermine regional peace and stability. This fully proves that the US is a downright provocateur, spoiler and saboteur.”
This was a comment made by a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense at a press conference on September
26, regarding the activities of the U.S. military and other countries around the South China Sea.
Furthermore, on the same day, a spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement denouncing
the transit of a Japan Self-Defense Force destroyer through the Taiwan Strait,
“China is highly vigilant on Japan’s political intention behind this move and has protested to the Japanese side.”
Of course, the international community will never accept China's unilateral claims.
Even if the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are One People's Republic of China as China claims, even if the artificial features in the South China Sea are China’s territorial
islands, the status of the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as free and open global commons for third parties will not change.
The activities of third countries in the South China Sea and the passage of the JSDF warship in the Taiwan Strait are
both activities in the global commons recognized by international law and community. As such, no country has the exclusive right to prohibit them. However, China is taking the position that the activities of third countries in this regard are unacceptable,
based on its own unilateral interpretations and values.
Is this a fixed, non-negotiable principle for China? No, it is not.
China itself applies a different set of values to its own actions. It is imperative that the international community does not overlook China's evident double
standards.
China sees itself as a "bullied" surrounded by "bully" countries that criticize and restrict its activities. This is
an example of paranoia.
It is contrary to the principles of the international community to deny the actions of other countries while simultaneously
approving of similar actions by China. Moreover, China is one of the world's foremost economic and military powers.
Intent of Y-9’s Operation
Exactly one month before those statements, on August 26, a People's Liberation Army reconnaissance plane,
Y-9, intruded into Japan’s territorial airspace for approximately two minutes above the Danjo-gunto Islands of Nagasaki Prefecture. In response to the Japanese government's protests, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense responded,
there was no intention on the part of the Chinese military aircraft”, and that any further speculation would be unproductive.
In essence, China is asserting that China’s military operations in or near the Japanese territory, airspace and waters
do not constitute any threats to Japan.
A comparison of the activities of the United States, Japan, and other like-minded countries in the South China Sea and
the Taiwan Strait, which China has strongly condemned, with the activities of Chinese military reconnaissance aircraft in August reveals a clear difference in intent.
The former were a joint training exercise with coastal countries, including the Philippines, in the vast South China
Sea, and simply a transit from the East China Sea to the South China Sea. In both cases, the use of free sea and airspace was in accordance with long-standing international recognition. These actions do not, in and of themselves, constitute a threat to the
sovereignty of any third country.
In contrast, the actions of the Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft in August were clearly an arbitrary operation. The
PLA Y-9 deliberately entered an extremely cramp airspace surrounded by the Japanese airspace to the east, west, and north, and repeatedly performed unique flight operations.
In the vicinity of this cramp airspace, there are major bases of the JSDF and the U.S. Navy, such as Sasebo Port, the
JSDF fighter air stations, and radar sites. All these facilities play a crucial role in defending Japan's southwestern borders.
It is currently unclear whether the incursion was the result of intentional action by national order or a pilot error.
Nevertheless, it is evident that navigating such a confined area could readily result in an incursion into the Japanese airspace. In other words, it seems that the Chinese authorities determined that, even if the aircraft did end up entering the Japanese airspace,
the consequences would not be a serious international problem.
On August 26th, a considerable number of JSDF, USN, and other foreign warships were either moored in or enroute to
the Sasebo Port naval base; this coincided with the conclusion of RIMPAC, and many of these ships were returning to Japan. Furthermore, since Typhoon Shanshan was approaching at the time, various military facilities, including warships, might have been in
communication with each other to discuss typhoons and other factors.
Hence this was an optimal time to gather a substantial amount of electrical wave data.
The released documents from the Joint Staff Office confirm that the PLA Y-9 that flew over at the time was equipped
with a transmitter/receiver capable of collecting SIGINT (signals intelligence) and ELINT (electronic intelligence) data. The missions of this Y-9 are often to gather SIGINT data transmitted between units, aircraft and ground stations, and other relevant entities,
and to collect ELINT information emitted by radars of warships, interceptors and radar sites.
The SIGINT and ELINT data to be obtained in this case are essential for attacking surveillance radars and warships
at the start of combat, thus neutralizing the enemy's capabilities. We cannot help but remember the Russian invasion of Ukraine that occurred on the morning of February 24, 2022.
Reaction of the Free and Open Democratic Society
"The incursion of Chinese military aircraft into our territorial airspace represents a serious violation of our sovereignty
and a threat to our security. We cannot accept this breach of international norms. In any case, the Ministry of Defense will maintain close observation of Chinese military movements and take all necessary measures to ensure vigilance, surveillance, and deterrence
against any further violations of our national airspace." This response from Defense Minister Kihara on August 27th was an appropriate one. As a sovereign
state, it is imperative that we addressed the situation, despite China's claims to the contrary.
The series of Chinese actions that followed, including the passage of the aircraft carrier through the Japanese waters
and the ICBM launch test in the Pacific Ocean, conveyed a clear intention. No matter how they attempted to disguise it with diplomatic language, it was an act of arrogance that could not be concealed.
What are the reasons behind China's continued assertive behaviors? In the People's Republic of China, the government's
authoritarian approach has, to some extent, been effective in getting the Chinese people to comply with its policies. The policy change to revoke the "one country, two systems" arrangement for Hong Kong and the Mainlandization of Hong Kong are likely to be
regarded as another success story for Chinese internal/international governance.
Nevertheless, such a double standard and confrontational approach is unlikely to be effective vis-à-vis a free and open
democratic society.
China should realize that it is creating anti-Chinese sentiment through such behavior. If China does not understand this,
not only the Japanese government, but also the Japanese citizens will become increasingly disinclined to believe China's words.
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