Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said China was beginning to pose “a considerable threat”, given the unclear intent of its rising military spending, leading to a sharp rebuke from Beijing which termed the statement “highly irresponsible”.
China is “a neighbour with 1 billion people equipped with nuclear bombs and has expanded its military outlays by double digits for 17 years in a row, and it is unclear as to what this is being used for,” Aso said at a news conference, according to the Japanese media.
“It is beginning to be a considerable threat,” he said. The comments by Japan’s top diplomat brought a rebuke from China.
See also: “What is Japanese FM’s intention fanfaring “China threat”?” from the People’s Daily.
