As the Hengqin-Macao multiple-entry visa policy took effect on Monday, Macao welcomed the first tour group from the Chinese mainland. The plan, launched by China's National Immigration Administration (NIA), was designed to enhance personnel and business exchanges between Macao and Hengqin, an island in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province.

The policy will bolster tourism and trade, and shore up consumption in sectors such as tourism, dining and accommodation, not only in Macao but also across the entire Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). This process will drive local economic growth and accelerate the integration of the GBA, experts said.

The 16 members in the first tour group primarily came from mainland provinces such as Guangdong, Hubei, Shaanxi and Shanxi. The group has a three-day, two-night itinerary spanning Macao and Zhuhai, with two entries into Macao scheduled during the journey, according to a statement the Hengqin authorities sent to the Global Times on Monday.

The implementation of the visa expansion policy is poised to facilitate business cooperation in tourism, exhibitions and other sectors between the two sides, a local official from Hengqin said on Monday during the welcome reception for the tour group. The official stressed that "it will bolster Macao's position as a global tourism hub and expedite Hengqin's transformation into an international leisure destination." 

Against the backdrop of China's high-level opening-up, exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Macao hold great significance. Serving as an international commercial hub, cooperation with the mainland enables both sides to share resources and advantages, Liang Haiming, chairman of Hong Kong-based China Silk Road iValley Research Institute, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

At the end of April, China's NIA announced new entry-exit regulations to streamline residents' trips outside the mainland. Among the highlights was permission for mainland visitors who join Hengqin-Macao tour groups to make multiple trips between Hengqin and Macao within seven days. 

The sweeping policy package includes full online processing for renewing travel documents within seven days and intelligent expedited processing for business visas, allowing extended stays in Hong Kong and Macao of up to 14 days. It also offers more visa options for professionals working in Macao, with stays of one to five years, according to the NIA.

The robust measures represent a comprehensive overhaul of local tourism strategies, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, said on Monday. The moves will bolster the hospitality sector as well as food and beverage operations, alongside related services, Macao Daily Times reported on Tuesday.

As anticipated, the policy sparked widespread responses in related sectors. Macao-owned enterprises based in Hengqin expressed great optimism about the policy, which is expected to prioritize travelers' options for tourism products. They believe that the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin can serve as a supplement to Macao's tourism resources to meet diverse market demands.

Multiple travel agencies have sought guidance on the criteria and processes for obtaining qualifications, according to Hengqin's statement. The cooperation zone will evaluate the number of agencies in line with regulations and announce assessments in stages.

The integrated development of the GBA is on a fast track. During the just-concluded five-day May Day holidays, Hong Kong witnessed a tourism surge, with mainland visitors exceeding 750,000, official data showed. Macao received an average of 120,879 visitors daily, a figure described by Senna Fernandes as "quite good" given the stormy weather during the holidays.

China's central authorities issued a general plan in 2021 for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, which is expected to be a major arrangement to enrich the practice of One Country, Two Systems, and serves as an important driving force for Macao's long-term development.

President Xi Jinping has stressed efforts to continuously break new ground in ideological and political education at schools in the new era.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction on the development of ideological-political courses for schools.

Xi said that the CPC Central Committee has always made developing ideological-political courses in schools a priority for education since the 18th CPC National Congress and the Party's leadership in this regard has been fully strengthened.

Developing ideological-political courses on the new journey of the new era should follow the guidance of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and the fundamental mission of fostering virtue should be carried out, Xi said.

He underscored the importance of developing a system of textbooks with a focus on the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and integrating political education across all levels from elementary schools to universities.

Xi stressed the need for efforts to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground to develop ideological-political courses, and to make the courses more targeted and appealing.

He stressed that Party committees and leading Party members groups at all levels should make it a priority to develop ideological-political courses.

Schools of various types should consistently break new ground in ideological and political education in the new era, and foster talented individuals who are loyal to the Party, patriotic and dedicated, and capable of shouldering the mission of realizing national rejuvenation, he said.

Xi's important instruction was conveyed at a meeting on boosting the development of ideological-political courses for schools held in Beijing on Saturday. Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

Ding, who is also vice premier, called for thorough study and implementation of Xi's important instruction and urged continuous efforts to push forward the reform and innovation of ideological-political courses.

Stressing the importance of helping students better understand national conditions and consolidate their ideals and faith, Ding said the mechanism for guaranteeing proper status and salaries for teachers of the courses should be improved.

China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe has successfully entered its circumlunar orbit after performing a near-moon braking procedure on Wednesday, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

The near-moon braking procedure is a key orbital control action for the Chang'e-6 lunar probe during its flight. The probe should begin braking when approaching the moon to maintain a speed lower than the lunar escape velocity so that it could be captured by the moon's gravitational force and realize circumlunar flight.

If the braking is not applied hard enough and the speed is not reduced, the Chang'e-6 lunar probe will slide into outer space. On the other hand, if the braking is too strong, it could collide with the moon, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The Chang'e-6 lunar probe consists of an orbiter, a returner, a lander and an ascender. The orbiter is equipped with an orbit control engine to control braking and deceleration during gravitational capture.

The development team also pioneered the design of the secondary thermal protection composite system, for the orbiter to wear a "super protective suit." Layers of protection keep the important payload machine on the orbiter away from high temperature, creating a comfortable traveling experience for the Chang'e-6, Xinhua reported.

The Chang'e-6 lunar probe will later adjust the altitude and inclination of its circumlunar orbit with the support of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, and implement the separation of the orbiter and returner combination from the lander and ascender combination at an opportune time.

The lander and ascender combination will then make a soft landing on the South Pole-Aitken Basin and conduct a sample return mission on the far side of the moon as planned.

The entire flight of the Chang'e-6 mission is expected to last about 53 days, consisting of 11 flight phases, according to CNSA. 

China has launched the Chang'e-6 spacecraft on Friday to collect and return samples from the moon's far side, which is the first endeavor of its kind in the history of human lunar exploration, according to Xinhua.

The fourth phase of China's lunar exploration program, led and organized by the CNSA, includes four missions: Chang'e-4, Chang'e-6, Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8, with Chang'e-4 having achieved the world's first soft landing on the back of the moon.

The Chang'e-6 mission will carry out new planetary exploration missions and further upgrade the country's space launch capabilities in the next 15 years. Landing a Chinese national on the moon is expected to happen before 2030, according to previous reports.

The Chang'e-6 mission is also carrying four payloads developed through international cooperation, providing more opportunities for the world's scientists and merging human expertise in space exploration, according to Xinhua.

The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair, which doesn’t allow any foreign interferences. The US should immediately stop hyping up the Taiwan question using the World Health Assembly as an excuse, said Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, urging the US to adhere to the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques with practical actions, instead of saying one thing and doing another, and constantly indulging “Taiwan independence” activities. 

Chen made the remarks on Friday in response to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s statement on Wednesday which “encouraged the WHO to reinstate an invitation to Taiwan to participate as an observer at this year’s WHA.”

Regarding Taiwan region’s participation in WHO activities, Chen said the mainland’s position is consistent and clear, which is that the situation must be handled in accordance with one-China principle, which is also the fundamental principle confirmed by UNGA resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1, Chen said. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities stubbornly insist in their “Taiwan independence” separatist stance, refusing to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus which embodies the one-China principle, resulting in the political basis for Taiwan region’s participation in WHA no longer existing. This situation is entirely caused by the DPP authorities, according to the spokesperson. 

Chen said the mainland has made proper arrangements for Taiwan region’s participation in global health affairs under the premise of adhering to the one-China principle. However, the DPP authorities, in their pursuit of “Taiwan independence,” have deliberately politicized public health issues and attempted to rely on external forces to engage in secessionist activities at WHA. The facts of the past seven years have proven that this wrong path is not viable, and the attempt this time will also end up in failure, Chen said.

China’s foreign ministry also slammed Blinken’s statement on Thursday, saying China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the statement, noting the one-China principle has the extensive support of the international community. It is where global opinion trends and where the arc of history bends. There’s no denying or stopping that trend. Any attempt to play the “Taiwan card” and use Taiwan to contain China will meet the firm opposition of the international community and is doomed to failure.

The US accusation of "China's overcapacity" is not a market-driven conclusion, but a crafted narrative to manipulate perception and politicize trade, with the real purpose being holding back China's high-quality development and depriving China of its legitimate right to development, Lin Jian, spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a routine press briefing on Tuesday, in a latest response to Washington's false narratives targeting Chinese new energy vehicles (NEVs).

There isn't a "China overcapacity," but a US overcapacity of anxiety stemming from a lack of confidence and smears against China, the spokesperson said.

The remarks were made in response to media questions regarding the rhetoric by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his recent visit to China. He pointed fingers at China over so-called "unfair trade practices and the potential consequences of industrial overcapacity to global and US markets," naming some industries including electric vehicles, batteries, and solar panels.

The "China overcapacity" accusation may look like an economic discussion, but the truth is, the accusation is built on false logic and ignores more than 200 years of the basic concept of comparative advantage in Western economics, Lin said.

When China's electric vehicle exports account for only 12 percent of its production, it's labeled as "overcapacity." But consider this: Germany exports 80 percent of its automobile production, followed by Japan's 50 percent, and the US' 25 percent. 

"Wouldn't that be considered more serious overcapacity?" Lin asked.

Moreover, according to estimates from the International Energy Agency, to realize carbon neutrality, the world will need 45 million NEVs by 2030, 4.5 times that of the demand of 2022.

"When the global capacity is still far below the market demand, how could there be overcapacity?" Lin asked.

In contrary to the US' narrow-minded narratives in new energy development, China has taken an open stance in the field, welcoming businesses worldwide to develop cooperation together for win-win outcomes, as it is well reflected at the 2024 18th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition Beijing Auto Show, which takes place from April 25 to May 4.

The auto show features more than 1,500 exhibiting companies, 278 new energy models and 117 global premieres, including 30 premieres by multinational companies.

The event was attended by executives from renowned international car companies such as BMW, Volkswagen, and Nissan, demonstrating their regard for the Chinese market and their expectations for working more closely with China.

Recently, German carmakers Volkswagen and BMW announced additional investments in China totaling five billion euros each, aiming to ramp up their layouts in the manufacturing of electric and smart vehicles in China.

These facts and statistics not only reveal global automakers' optimism for the growth potential of China's mega-sized market and their confidence in China's development outlook, but also are the most convincing argument against the so-called "Chinese overcapacity," Lin said.

Chinese experts also refuted the US' intensified discourse of "overcapacity" narratives. 

Speaking with the Global Times on Tuesday, Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, said that actual demand for NEVs remain huge in both China and around the world.

The NEV market in China is undergoing rapid expansion, and the implementation of the new trade-in policy alone has the potential to drive up to two million electric vehicle sales this year, according to Cui, reflecting positive market prospects for the booming sector.

Overcapacity is only caused by enterprises lacking competitiveness, leading to unsold inventory, which is surely not the case in China's NEV industry, Cui said, noting that Chinese NEV manufacturers are reputable enterprises, and there is strong demand for their products in the market.

"Both domestically and internationally, there is no overcapacity in the NEV sector," he said.

The US' repeated accusations of "overcapacity" against China stem from concerns about the rapid development of China NEV industry potentially impeding the growth of American car manufacturers. "This highlights the narrow-minded approach of the US in attempting to isolate Chinese companies from the global market," said Cui.

Chinese scientists have successfully developed fast breeding rice in desert greenhouses in Hotan Prefecture, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, for the first time under the trial period, making the rice grow from planting to harvest in just 75 days.

The tech provides support for the country to carry out year-round cultivation and fast breeding of crops in desert areas, according to the Institute of Urban Agriculture (IUA), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

The technology was developed by the IUA's chief scientist Yang Qichang and his research team after five years of research. The team leverages rich solar resources in desert areas, implementing measures such as multi-layer vertical soilless cultivation and artificial light source control, making rice grow from planting to harvest in just 75 days. The tech reduces the rice's growth cycle by around 40 percent compared to rice cultivated in traditional fields, according to the Chengdu-based IUA.

"We used the local new rice for this cultivation by taking fast breeding tech. The seedling cultivation took 15 days. In February, we planted the rice seedlings in the soilless cultivation tanks. The entire production cycle is 60 days by far," Wang Sen, the IUA's researcher, also one member of the research team, told the Global Times on Monday.

The fast breeding of rice in the greenhouses in Hotan adopts vertical soilless cultivation technology, providing crops with good production conditions such as light, temperature, water, air, and fertilizer under intelligent LED supplementary lighting from artificial light sources, according to Wang.

Within the facility, the temperature, humidity, light intensity, and other conditions can always be controlled precisely. However, the costs of energy, operation, and construction are always high. As a result, the experiment utilizes the abundant light and heat resources in Taklimakan Desert to establish a desert greenhouse plant that significantly reduces costs, according to the IUA.

It's meaningful to "inspire more scientific research" in the field, to encourage scientists to explore various solutions to "ensure national breeding and food security," Wang noted.

The research team has also been exploring key technologies for the fast breeding of staple crops such as soybeans, corn, and wheat, as well as oilseed crops and cotton in the desert greenhouses in Hotan.

The research institution has been making efforts in exploring the tech of building vertical unmanned greenhouse during recent years. In December 2023, a 10-meter-high unmanned greenhouse rack, the tallest of its kind in the world, was built by the IUA in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Its cultivation procedures are completely automated, including sowing, thinning, harvesting and packaging, according to media reports.

The Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affairs, and how to achieve national reunification is a matter for the Chinese people on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits,  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a written interview with Qatar-based news channel Al Jazeera on Thursday. 

Addressing a question on the Taiwan question given US continued arms sales to the island, Wang responded that Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times. We will strive for peaceful reunification with the utmost effort and greatest sincerity. In the meantime, our bottom line is also clear: we will absolutely not allow anyone to separate Taiwan from China in any way.

At present, the cross-Straits situation is stable on the whole. But it faces serious challenges as well. The biggest challenge comes from “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and external disruptions. China will not sit on its hands with external disruptions, he stressed.

During the interview, Wang also made important explanations regarding the Gaza conflict, the Red Sea crisis, the Ukraine crisis and China-US relations.

Regarding the Gaza conflict, Wang stated that the protracted conflict in Gaza has become a humanitarian catastrophe that should not have happened, which has gone far beyond the bottom line of modern civilization. The international community must act now.

First, what is currently urgent is to achieve a cease-fire as early as possible, and this is the overriding priority. Second, unimpeded humanitarian assistance must be ensured at all times, and this is the pressing moral obligation. Third, further spillover of the conflict must be forestalled, and this is the practical necessity for preventing the situation from spinning out of control. Fourth, historical injustice to the Palestinian people must be redressed timely, and this is the right way to address the root of the conflict in Gaza, Wang pointed out. 

In response to concerns over the rising tensions in the Red Sea and China’s deployment of several hundred servicemen in an escort fleet for cargo ships, Wang stated that it must be noted that the ongoing escort mission by the Chinese navy is not related to the Red Sea situation. Maneuvers are being carried out in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia as authorized by the UN Security Council to deter pirates and conduct humanitarian operations.

When asked about how will China mediate in peaceful negotiations to resolve the Ukraine crisis, Wang said it is imperative to remain committed to political settlement. Conflicts and wars do not end on the battlefield but at the table. 

It is imperative to uphold objectivity and impartiality. All sides should play their due part, and build up mutual trust to create conditions for ending hostility and starting peace talks. More importantly, no one should form factions or provoke bloc confrontation, Wang emphasized.

With the US presidential election approaching, Wang stated that the China-US relationship bears on the wellbeing of the Chinese and American peoples and the future of humanity and the world. 

China is sincere in improving its relations with the US. Meanwhile, the US still sticks to its misperception of China, and presses ahead with its misguided policy to contain China, he noted.

Whoever is elected, the Chinese and American peoples will still need to engage in exchanges and cooperation, and the two major countries must find the right way to get along with each other. The China-US relationship cannot go back to its past. But it should, and can fully, have a bright future, Wang said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday afternoon to begin the second official visit to China of his tenure. Some Chinese experts said whether this visit, which shows Washington's eagerness to cooperate with China, can achieve a breakthrough depends on the US' mind-set and attitude. 

But given that the US continues to send signals of "pressuring for demands," experts hold low expectations for a positive outcome from Blinken's ongoing China visit. 

Blinken is scheduled to travel to China from Wednesday to Friday where he will meet with senior Chinese officials in both Shanghai and Beijing to talk about a range of bilateral, regional and global issues, according to a statement issued by the US State Department earlier. 

Some Western media also hold a cautious view of this visit. The New York Times said "Blinken goes to China with potential trouble on horizon" as the visit comes as Democrats and Republicans are vying to appear tougher on China. Reuters said Blinken arrived with bilateral ties "on a steadier footing," but with a daunting array of unresolved issues threatening the stability of relations between the two countries. 

The Associated Press also listed the major divisions between China and the US and key issues that Blinken is going to bring up on the trip including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, tensions in the Middle East, the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue.

Just before Blinken boarded his plane, the North America and Oceania department of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed the media on Monday, providing a 3,000-plus-word statement about the details of the visit. 

It not only reiterated a welcoming attitude but also elaborately outlined the five main objectives of the visit, including establishing correct perceptions, enhancing dialogue, effectively managing differences, advancing mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly undertaking the responsibilities of a major country.

 The briefing is also considered a negotiating memorandum provided to Blinken, experts said.

"There is a gap in attitudes between China and the US, which relates to the ways and ideas both sides take to handle bilateral relations," Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The fundamental approach of the US is to view China as its most significant strategic competitor and its most severe geopolitical challenge, so the US adopts measures to contain and suppress China under the guise of containment, while simultaneously it  needs China to cooperate as well as make concessions on a range of issues important to the US, Wu noted. 

"On one hand, the US wants to suppress and guard against China, and on the other, it expects China to dance to its tune," Wu said. 

Despite this gap in attitudes between the two countries, for the Biden administration, with the continuing increase in uncertainties in Ukraine and the Middle East, the US can no longer afford to divert attention to potential frictions and conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region, which might consume even more energy and resources, some experts said. 

Under the Biden administration's strategy of maintaining communication channels through normalized and routine high-level exchanges to reduce miscalculations and prevent uncontrolled competition leading to conflicts, Blinken has taken the baton from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to make a routine visit to China, Sun Taiyi, assistant professor of Political Science at Christopher Newport University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

However, although a number of US high-ranking officials have been making frequent visits to China, the US continues to signal its strategy of "applying pressure for its demands" and seeking more favorable "bargaining chips" for discussions, experts said. 

For instance, US Trade Representative announced a new round of Section 301 investigations into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, and some US officials reportedly suggested that some Chinese banks could be cut off from the global financial system. It also rallied Japan and Australia to back the Philippines in provoking confrontations in the South China Sea, and published the 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, spreading lies about China's Xinjiang and Hong Kong regions. 

The US is drafting sanctions that threaten to cut some Chinese banks off from the global financial system, arming Washington's top envoy with diplomatic leverage that officials hope will stop Beijing's commercial support of Russia's military production, according to people familiar with the matter.

Most lately, the US Senate passed a TikTok divestment-or-ban bill late on Tuesday and also passed a sweeping foreign aid package which includes arms support for the island of Taiwan. 

"I think there are some risk factors in the future US-China relations. One is the Taiwan question, especially around May 20 when the island's regional leader-elect is set to assume office," Sun Chenghao, head of the US-EU program at the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

"If the US acts too excessively or provocatively, I believe it could impact cross-Straits relations as well as US-China relations," Sun said. 

There was a brief period of optimism and positive atmosphere following the meeting between the heads of state of the two countries in November 2023, which has now vanished given a series of negative moves by Washington lately, some experts said. 

"Under these circumstances, it is difficult to expect any positive progress from Blinken's visit to China. The actions of the US have made China feel that it is not a credible partner, seeking only to secure what it wants while presenting unreasonable concerns and demands for interest," Wu said. 

Che Dechen, secretary of the Party committee and general manager of the Chongqing Gas Group Corporation, has been removed from his position after a joint investigation found local residents in Southwest China's Chongqing were overcharged for their gas by the company.

Residents from multiple districts in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality complained recently that their gas bills had increased significantly after they changed to new gas meters.

On April 13, the local authority announced that it had set up a joint investigation group to probe the problem.

During a press conference on Friday, the local authority announced that through on-site inspections, experimental testing, data comparison, experts' analysis and judgment, typical case verification, and other methods, the investigation team verified the situation and found that Chongqing Gas Group Corporation and other gas companies had indeed overcharged some residents for their gas.

According to the investigation, between January and April this year, mistakes on a total of 1,085 records led to excessive charges for 190,500 cubic meters of gas.

Other problems include chaotic gas billing cycles ranging from seven days to 13 months, disorganized work in changing gas meters, an insufficient workforce and lack of internal supervision and management.

The local authority ordered the gas companies to fully refund the residents the overcharged gas fees which were confirmed and identified through investigations.

In addition, 14 cases in which companies were found to have violated laws and regulations have been filed for investigation.

Che Dechen, secretary of the Party committee and general manager of the Chongqing Gas Group Corporation has been removed from his position.

Meanwhile, a work group has been deployed to the company to conduct a thorough rectification of the issues.

For the next step, the municipal authority will instruct the relevant department to enhance supervision and law enforcement to compel gas companies to improve their service and management.

After Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force announced its intention to dispatch a special security unit to the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese observers said the move is to deter China's influence in region and it constitutes a major breakthrough for Japan in the military field to cooperate with US regional strategies, which threatens regional peace and stability. 

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) said it will dispatch a special security unit to the "Indo-Pacific" region to offer capacity-building support to coast guards in the region, Japan's NHK reported on Tuesday. 

The MSDF says the deployment will come in May or later to help regional coast guards enhance their capabilities in conducting inspections of suspicious ships and other skills.

It has not revealed details on exactly where the unit will be sent and how long the mission will be.

Sources close to the Japanese defense ministry told NHK that the move comes in response to requests from multiple Pacific Island countries, and that the special unit will provide support for several days for each country.

This will be the first time an SDF special unit will provide capacity-building support for foreign agencies.

"This is a major breakthrough for Japan in military terms, and it must be met with high vigilance by the international community," said Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

In recent years, Japan has been rapidly accelerating its military buildup, attempting to break through its previous exclusively defense-oriented policy, but there has never been a precedent for sending "special police teams" to other countries, Lü said.

He noted that this is a major move by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after his visit to the US where he took part in a trilateral summit with leaders of the US and the Philippines earlier this month.

The US, Japan, Australia and the Philippines also held a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea earlier this month.

Japan's move is intended to widen its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region after the US Coast Guard announced an increase in maritime patrols and training activities in June last year, a military expert, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times. He said Japan's move is aimed at both cooperating with US strategy in the Asia-Pacific region and countering China's cooperation with regional countries.