Tokyo [Japan], May 13 (ANI): Ahead of the G7 Summit in Japan, Chinese warships sailed round Japan in a show of navy energy, reported CNN.
Chinese naval flotilla led by a strong destroyer has been on a 12-day circumnavigation of Japan’s foremost islands and it comes as leaders of the Group of Seven put together to satisfy in Japan starting May 19.
Japan’s Defense Ministry on Thursday launched a map displaying the Type 055 guided missile destroyer Lhasa, one of many People’s Liberation Army Navy’s strongest warships, main a four-ship flotilla that additionally included a smaller destroyer, a frigate and a provide ship on the clockwise circumnavigation.
The Japanese map reveals the voyage started on April 30 within the Tsushima Strait between South Korea and Japan, progressed via the Tsugaru Strait on the northern tip of Hokkaido on May 5 and 6 after which was within the Izu island chain south of Tokyo on Thursday, reported CNN.
China’s state-run Global Times linked the flotilla’s journey to “Japan’s recent provocative remarks” about Taiwan, the democratically dominated island over which the Chinese Communist Party claims sovereignty regardless of by no means having dominated it.
“While the voyage is likely a routine PLA Navy far sea exercise that does not violate any international law or target any third party, it could be seen as a strong message to Japan,” the Global Times report stated, citing Chinese consultants.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated in an interview with Nikkei Asia on Wednesday that “the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait is critical not just for our country, but for the whole international community.”Chinese naval flotillas have carried out circumnavigations of Japan previously – most notably when a Chinese-Russian flotilla of 10 ships did so in October 2021 – and analysts say extra may be anticipated because the PLA Navy extra regularly flexes its muscle tissues exterior China’s close by waters, reported CNN. (ANI)