China on Tuesday said it has banned the export of all such goods to Japan which can be used by the military and enhance Tokyo’s military power.
The Chinese commerce military said in a statement that the export of dual-use items that can serve both civilian and military purposes, to Japanese military users and all other end-users are strictly prohibited, adding that any individual or organisation that violates the rule by transferring or providing these made-in-China products to Japanese groups and people would face legal consequences, regardless of where they are from.
Experts say the export items banned include those in the technology sector, such as drones and navigation systems, which could be adapted for military use.
Masaaki Kanai, the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s head of Asia Oceanian affairs, “strongly protested” to Chinese deputy consul Shi Yong, according to a statement from the Japanese ministry. Kanai said a measure exclusively targeting Japan that deviates from international practice is unacceptable and demanded it be retracted.
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The notice, which did not identify or describe specific items, comes amidst a time when tensions between China and Japan are at an all-time high over Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its sovereign territory. The row between the two countries was triggered last year after Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, said its military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan.
In December, Japan said Chinese military aircraft locked radar on its fighter jets even though there was a safe distance between them.
This was followed by Tokyo approving a very high budget in the parliament to significantly boost its military capabilities in a bid to stand up to China’s growing threats.
Last week, China launched large-scale military drills around Taiwan for two days to warn against what it calls separatist and external forces. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi slammed both Japan and Taiwan’s “pro-independence forces,” and accused Japan’s current leaders of openly challenging China’s territorial sovereignty and the post-war international order.
Japan was defeated in World War II by the United States and its allies.
In his meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Beijing on Monday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping mentioned China’s and South Korea’s historical rivalry against Japan, calling on the two countries to “join hands to defend the fruits of victory in World War II and safeguard peace and stability in northeast Asia”.
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