Japan's Obstinate Push for Bloc Confrontation Finds No Support: Defense Spokesperson

BEIJING, Oct. 29 -- "The Asia-Pacific is a high ground for peace and development. Those who follow the prevailing trend of peace can go far, while those who insist on stoking bloc confrontation find no support," said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, at a press briefing on Thursday. According to reports, the U.S. and Japan recently held "Keen Sword 27" joint exercise, the largest iteration of the series to date, focusing on island-seizure operations. The Japan Self-Defense Forces deployed Type 25 Surface-to-Ship Guided Missiles in the exercise. In addition, the U.S. Marine Corps' Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System was deployed for the first time on Yonaguni Island, the Japanese island closest to Taiwan. To comment on that, the spokesperson noted that Japan has courted and catered to countries outside the region to conduct so-called joint exercises, developed and deployed intermediate and long-range missiles, continuously beefed up military deployment in its southwestern islands, and accelerated remilitarization, becoming a real threat to regional security. The spokesperson also emphasized that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and external forces will never be allowed to meddle in China's Taiwan region. "No one should underestimate the firm determination, iron will, and strong capabilities of the Chinese side in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Anyone who attempts to use Taiwan to contain China and even resorts to military provocations will inevitably pay an unbearable price," stressed the spokesperson.