China Defense Ministry Addresses Taiwan Strait Transit, Japan Policy, and Arms Exports

At a regular press briefing, China's Ministry of National Defense outlined its stances across several regional security issues. Spokesperson Senior Colonel Jiang Bin confirmed that the People's Liberation Army tracked New Zealand naval vessels transiting the Taiwan Strait and urged Wellington to avoid sending conflicting signals to separatist forces. The ministry also sharply criticized Japan's reported plans to create a new defense industry coordination entity, citing post-World War II legal frameworks, and defended bilateral military trade with Uzbekistan as normal cooperation that complies with international law.

The Ministry of National Defense's statements underscore Beijing's firm legal and military baseline regarding sovereignty in the Taiwan Strait and its sensitivity toward Japan's defense posture. By invoking historical post-war declarations against Japanese defense industry expansion and monitoring allied naval movements through the strait, China reinforces its regional security red lines while defending its growing arms export footprint abroad.

China's Ministry of National Defense addressed key regional security concerns during its regular monthly press briefing, commenting on foreign naval movements in the Taiwan Strait, Japanese defense industrial reforms, and international military trade. According to transcripts published by China Military Online, spokesperson Senior Colonel Jiang Bin responded to reports concerning the passage of New Zealand naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait, identified as the frigate HMNZS Te Mana and the replenishment tanker HMNZS Aotearoa. Jiang stated that the Chinese military organized naval and air forces to track, monitor, and handle the transit throughout the entire process in accordance with laws and regulations. He urged New Zealand to adhere to the one-China principle and refrain from sending wrong signals to Taiwan independence separatist forces. Jiang also sharply criticized reported plans by the Japanese government to establish a new defense-related corporate body in fiscal year 2027. The proposed entity reportedly aims to coordinate defense equipment exports, support emerging enterprises, bolster production capacity, and manage nationalized munitions facilities, partly adopting U.S. practices of purchasing equipment from domestic contractors for export. Pointing to criticism from Japanese opposition parties comparing the plan to pre-war arsenals, Jiang cited historical legal instruments including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender. He argued that these frameworks legally bound Japan to complete disarmament and prohibited maintaining industries that could facilitate rearmament, accusing Tokyo of pursuing offensive capabilities and expanding its military-industrial base. Separately, responding to questions regarding reports that Uzbekistan's air force received Chinese-made J-10CE fighter aircraft, Jiang stated that relations between China and Uzbekistan remain friendly, according to a report carried by ifeng.com. He emphasized that normal arms trade cooperation between the two sides complies with international law and international practices, adding that such engagements are not targeted at any third party. Additionally, the spokesperson reviewed the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, characterizing the 20-year-old event as an open, non-bloc platform that facilitates dialogue across conflicting parties on traditional defense concerns and emerging technological security risks.