China sends ships to the Pacific Ocean amid Japanese security moves

ARK News… A squadron of Chinese navy ships sailed through a strait near Japan into the western Pacific Ocean, while Beijing criticized Tokyo's adoption of a new national security strategy that puts itself in a more offensive position.

The destroyers "Lhasa" and "Kaifeng" and a replenishment ship sailed through the Osumi Strait in southern Japan, while the Dongadio-class monitor vessel with hull number 796 sailed through the Miyako Strait south of Okinawa, all of which reached the western Pacific Ocean by Thursday.

Japan's Defense Ministry said Japanese ships and aircraft were being watched closely.

The Chinese newspaper "Global Times", on Friday, quoted unidentified experts as saying that the mission: "It sent a signal amid the recent Japanese military moves that would show the capabilities of the People's Liberation Army in protecting China's national sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests."

China routinely sends warships through the straits between the Japanese islands, even as it strongly objects to the presence of foreign naval vessels in the Taiwan Strait. All are classified as international waters.

Late last month, Russian and Chinese strategic bombers flew over the Seas of Japan and the East China Sea during an eight-hour mission in a demonstration of the two countries increasingly close defense ties.

Source: AP

143