Photo/Illutration Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi listens to a question during a news conference on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 7. (AP Photo)

A nation that bills itself as a “staunch force for peace, stability and progress of the world” has failed to take a resolute stance against a war of aggression and is threatening neighboring countries with its own military buildup.

That attitude could only be described as extremely incoherent.

Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, recently gave a news conference on the sidelines of a session of the National People’s Congress.

Audience members couldn’t have believed their ears when Wang boasted about the closeness of China-Russia ties by saying, “Russia’s natural gas is fueling numerous Chinese households, and China’s automobiles are running along Russian roads and streets.”

Beijing has ostensibly said, in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, that it will call on both sides for a cease-fire and peace talks.

In reality, however, China has kept supporting Russia through economic relations over the past two years.

Beijing, in the meantime, has called on other countries of the world to approve of China’s stance that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory.

It should, for consistency, also try to call on Russia to stop trampling on foreign territory.

During the news conference, Wang went on to call for an immediate cease-fire in the attacks by Israeli armed forces on the Palestinian autonomous territory of Gaza.

“Nothing justifies the killing of the civilian population,” the foreign minister said.

That is a reasonable argument, which only underscores an unconcealable gap with the attitude China is taking toward the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

China itself has long overpowered its neighbors on the military front.

The nation’s defense budget for this year, which was released March 5, is worth 1.6655 trillion yuan (34.057 trillion yen, or $231 billion), up 7.2 percent year on year. The growth rate, unchanged from last year, is enough to double the budget if maintained for 10 years.

It has also been reported that China has started building its fourth aircraft carrier.

The administration of President Xi Jinping has set the goals of “modernizing” China’s armed forces by 2035 and building them into “world-class forces” by the middle of the century.

China’s moves can only be taken as a gesture of its intention never to slow the growth of its defense spending to achieve those goals, whatever the conditions of its economy.

China has also been steadily building up its nuclear capability, which is already surpassing a level required for self-defense. The nation’s warships, other vessels and military airplanes are sailing and flying actively around Japan and in the South China Sea.

We are tempted to ask how Beijing would explain the way those moves are deviating from the country’s stated diplomatic policy, which champions peace.

China’s actual stance in foreign affairs is, in fact, likely aimed at preparing for a competition and rivalry with the United States, which are expected to stay long into the future.

During the news conference, Wang blamed the United States for an inconsistency of its words and actions. He complained that Washington has not relaxed its economic sanctions on China, even though U.S. President Joe Biden said during a summit with Xi that Washington welcomes China’s development.

China, for its part, should also ensure consistency between its rhetoric and actions.

Beijing should realize that its intention to prey on a decline in U.S. hegemony to enhance its own influence would remain as evident as ever even if it were to advocate peace and stability while sharpening its claws at the same time.

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 10

Related News