Japan's Propaganda Campaign against China's Legitimate Operation Will Never Succeed: Defense Spokesperson

BEIJING, June 9 -- "People see clearly that the Japanese side is playing up China's legitimate operation to stoke tensions and mislead public opinion. This propaganda campaign will never succeed," said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a press conference on Tuesday. According to media reports, the Japanese side kept tracking and monitoring the training activities of the Chinese PLA Navy’s Liaoning Aircraft Carrier Task Group in the Western Pacific. Japan's Ministry of Defense has continuously disclosed the task group's number of vessels, the training location and the number of sorties flown by ship-borne aircraft, and the Japanese Defense Minister said they would continue to closely monitor China’s Aircraft Carrier Task Group and stay on alert. "Currently, the Chinese PLA Navy’s Liaoning Aircraft Carrier Task Group is conducting training in relevant waters of the Western Pacific as planned," said the spokesperson, adding that the operation is not targeted at any specific country or entity and it aims to enhance the combat capabilities of the Aircraft Carrier Task Group through far-seas training. "The Chinese side responded to multiple surveillance operations of the Japanese side during the training in accordance with laws and regulations," noted the spokesperson.