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China warns Japan’s South China Sea build-up could surpass the US
A Chinese maritime analyst said Japan’s use of live-fire drills, including firing a Type 88 missile at a decommissioned Philippine Navy vessel, reflects a shift he expects to intensify regional tensions.
South China Sea security concerns are escalating after a prominent Chinese maritime analyst warned that Japan’s growing military presence in the disputed waters could eventually have greater “destructive potential” than the United States, according to SCMP Economy.
Wu Shicun, founding president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said “unilateral infringements” in the region were becoming “normalised,” and pointed to a steep rise in military deployments, joint exercises, and maritime patrols by countries outside the area.
He also cited an apparent milestone in Japan’s activities during a regional exercise, saying Japanese forces fired a Type 88 surface-to-ship missile system outside its territory for the first time, using live rounds to strike a decommissioned Philippine Navy vessel.
SCMP Economy reports Wu described the move as Japan showcasing its military capabilities for the first time since the end of World War II.