Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

China has also lodged strong protests against Japan through diplomatic channels on multiple occasions, and has recently sent a diplomatic note to Japan to reiterate China's solemn position, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday when asked to confirm and elaborate on China's recent note to Japan as Russia had sent a note of protest to the Japanese side regarding the deployment of Typhon missile systems on Kyushu Island.

The remarks came after Russia urged Japan to take seriously the September 3 protest note over the deployment of US Typhon ground-based systems designed to launch intermediate-and shorter-range missiles, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on September 18, according to TASS.

"Russia sent a protest note to the Japanese side in Moscow and Tokyo on September 3 over the deployment on Kyushu of US Typhon ground-based systems designed to launch intermediate-and shorter-range missiles," the diplomat said in a commentary. "The note specifically stressed that Tokyo had once again taken this step despite repeated Russian demarches expressing concern over threats to national security, regional peace and stability arising from the deployment of these weapons on the Japanese archipelago," per TASS.

Guo noted that the deployment of Typhon missile system, a strategic offensive weapon, is yet another example of Japan's accelerated remilitarization. Such move will only push up the risk of military confrontation and arms race, threaten strategic balance and regional stability, and harm the legitimate security interests of neighboring countries. 

The international community is on high alert, with people from multiple Asian countries voicing their opposition to the deployment. China has also lodged strong protests against Japan through diplomatic channels on multiple occasions, and has recently sent a diplomatic note to Japan to reiterate China's solemn position, the spokesperson added.

"On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials, China urges Japan to do serious soul-searching on its history of aggression, face up to the call from regional countries, and stop advancing its remilitarization agenda," Guo added.

Global Times