Japan signals shift in military balance between China and Taiwan toward Beijing

In its recent Defense Strategic Report presented by Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, Japan’s Defense Ministry has cautioned about China’s significant escalation of military pressure on Taiwan in 2022.

The report indicates a shift in the fragile military balance that has historically mitigated tensions between Beijing and Taipei, now leaning towards the Chinese military.

The ministry cited the substantial increase in approaches by Chinese combat aircraft and warships to the Taiwan Strait dividing line, which marks the island’s security zone, from 971 recorded in 2021 to 1,733 the following year.

As the relationship between China and Japan reached a 50-year milestone last year, it was overshadowed by territorial disputes in the Indo-Pacific region.

Japan has increasingly aligned with Taiwan, which rejects Chinese sovereignty, particularly since the pandemic.

This shift was reflected in Japan’s annual security document mentioning Taiwan by name for the first time.

In the report, Japan views China as a severe international concern and warns that Beijing poses a significant strategic challenge for Japan and its allies, especially the United States.

The report advises Japan to respond in “cooperation and collaboration” with its American partners and other “like-minded countries.”

The document warns that China might aim to accelerate its plan to build a “world-class military by mid-century”, partly aided by Russia, with which it maintains increasingly close military ties.

China has protested the report, calling it “exaggerated.”

The Chinese government spokesperson, Mao Ning, asked Japan to respect its neighbors’ security concerns, reflect on its own warlike history, and stop using the exaggerated ‘China threat’ as an excuse for increasing their defense capabilities.

The spokesperson also refuted the notion of any military balance since China views Taiwan as an integral part of its territory.