The PLA Nanjing Military Region has been conducting a navy-air force joint exercise in the East China Sea. The drill comes against the backdrop of military exercises between the US and Japan in defending the Diaoyu Islands. Meanwhile, the Japanese government has stressed that Washington will cover Diaoyu as part of the US-Japan Security Treaty. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has repeatedly stated the possibility of deploying Self-Defense Forces in the Diaoyu conflict.
The drill of Nanjing Military Region, whether it is a routine exercise or is considering Diaoyu, has come at the right time.
Japan's increasingly radical approach over the island disputes is pushing the Diaoyu issue toward a military confrontation. The Japanese government is dangerously fanning the flames in East Asia.
Both China and Japan should be cautious in mentioning military clashes. Creating a war scenario should be a taboo for officials. Japan has to be clear that the hatred of Japan's invasion is still buried in the Chinese consciousness. A rising China will by no means allow military humiliation by Japan to happen again.
World War II is long over for Chinese. But Japan repeatedly reminds us of that history. Tokyo has never honestly faced that war. No sincere remorse can be felt in its attitude toward China. On the contrary, it tries to make up for defeat in the past with new sources of conflict with its neighbor.
