Chinese general says Okinawa sovereignty not questioned

A Chinese military leader is insisting recent Chinese media commentaries that disputed Japan’s sovereignty over Okinawa Prefecture are views of scholars and do not represent the Chinese government’s stance.

Lt. Gen. Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of the General Staff Headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army, made the remark in a speech to the Asia Security Summit in Singapore
“Academics can study and express ideas freely,” Qi said in a question-and-answer session after the speech. He said he thinks the issue of Okinawa is different from the dispute over the Senkaku Islands.

Japan-China relations have deteriorated sharply over the group of Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea. The uninhabited islands, which are under the administrative jurisdiction of Ishigaki City, in the southernmost part of the prefecture, are also claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu. In the speech, Qi said China has never pursued external expansion or seizure by force as national policy.

He defended Chinese warships’ activities in the East China Sea and South China Sea. Patrolling the waters where China has sovereignty is a legitimate act.

22:15 29 Mar , 2024