China voices concern over Japan's reported move to loosen arms export rules

China is seriously concerned over Japan's reported plan to formally revise the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment this month, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing on Tuesday.

She said many international scholars and people of insight in Japan have expressed deep concern over the move, warning that it would mark a fundamental shift in Japan's postwar policy on arms exports and undermine the institutional safeguards put in place after World War II to prevent any revival of Japanese militarism.

Mao noted that Japanese government polling has shown that a majority of the Japanese public opposes easing restrictions on weapons exports.

All these signs point to a push by right-wing forces in Japan to steer the country's security policy in a more offensive and expansionist direction, she said, adding that Japan's accelerated remilitarization is not speculation, but a fact already reflected in its policy course and concrete actions.

The trend is threatening regional peace and stability, and the international community must remain on high alert and firmly reject any attempts at a revival of militarism in Japan, she said.

China urges Japan to earnestly reflect on its history of militarist aggression, honor its commitments in the field of military security, act with prudence, and avoid going further down the wrong path, Mao said.