A prominent Chinese maritime analyst has sounded the alarm over Japan’s increasing military presence in the South China Sea , warning it has a “destructive potential” that could ultimately surpass that of the United States.
Speaking on Monday at a round table event in Hong Kong discussing security in the region, Wu Shicun , the founding president of China’s National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said “unilateral infringements” in the disputed waters were becoming “normalised”.
He told the event – jointly organised by the institute with the Huayang Centre for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance and the Asian Academy of International Law – there had been a steep rise in military deployments, joint exercises and maritime patrols by countries outside the region.
During the exercise, Japanese forces fired a Type 88 surface-to-ship missile system outside its territory for the first time, using live rounds to strike a decommissioned Philippine Navy vessel.
“This is the first time that Japan has shown off its military muscle since the end of World War II,” Wu said.