China says Japan is provocateur behind 'radar illumination' stunt

It was the Japanese side that deliberately harassed the carrier and then spread disinformation regarding the "radar illumination" issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday, stressing that the Japanese side is the provocateur responsible for orchestrating this political stunt and must undertake all responsibilities.

During a regular press conference, Guo said the Chinese media have released audio data and relevant details of the "radar illumination" issue and the facts are very clear.

Guo said that China's exercise and training in relevant waters and airspace fully complies with the international law and international practice. He added that China's maneuvers are professional, standard, safe, restrained and beyond reproach.

"Yesterday, the Japanese side said they received no prior notification of China's flight drill. Today, they admitted that they did receive the information beforehand. In addition to that inconsistency, the Japanese side continues to beat around the bush without explaining why they sent warplanes into China's pre-announced exercise zones and repeatedly engaged in hostile surveillance and disruptive maneuvers to create a crisis situation and generate media hypes. Is the Japanese side trying to divert attention and mislead the international community?" Guo said.

China hopes the international community can be clear-eyed and not be deceived by the Japanese side, Guo said, adding that Japan's allies in particular need to stay on high alert and not to be misguided by the Japanese side.

Japan needs to face up to what actually caused the current difficulties facing China-Japan relations, do serious soul-searching and correct its wrongdoing, and retract Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on China's Taiwan region as it should.