In the escalating shadow of East Asia tensions, Global Times article accuses Japan of flipping the script on a recent aerial incident involving China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier. Titled “Japan’s accusation of Chinese carrier-based aircraft locking radar onto Japanese warplanes a case of perpetrator blaming victim: expert,” the piece frames Tokyo as the aggressor, using inflammatory idioms and one-sided expert quotes to defend Beijing’s actions.
What Really Happened on December 6, 2025?
The Global Times article centers on Japan’s accusation that Chinese J-15 fighter jets, launched from the PLA Navy’s Liaoning carrier, “intermittently” locked fire-control radar onto two Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-15s over international waters southeast of Okinawa. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called it a “dangerous act” exceeding safe flight norms, prompting a formal protest. The carrier was conducting announced takeoff-and-landing exercises with escorts, including the Type 055 destroyer Nanchang—marking Japan’s first confirmed sighting of Liaoning ops since China’s three-carrier era began.
Fact Check Verdict: Mostly Accurate, But Incomplete. International reports confirm the basics: Two lock-ons occurred (one ~3 minutes, one ~30 minutes) with no airspace breach, injuries, or damage. However, the article omits Japan’s detail that the radar was “fire-control” type—capable of guiding missiles—escalating perceived threat levels. No evidence of outright fabrication here, but the narrative skips mutual escalation claims.
| Claim from Global Times | Verification | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese F-15s targeted twice by J-15 radar | Confirmed; intermittent locks in intl. waters | Reuters, NYT, Al Jazeera |
| No Chinese entry into Japanese airspace | Accurate; Japan admits this | Global Times, Japan MoD |
| Liaoning’s exercises were “legitimate” in open waters | Partially true; pre-announced, per intl. law, but near disputed areas | Chinese Navy, SCMP |
Japan as ‘Perpetrator Blaming Victim’ – Fake News or Fair Counter?
The article’s thesis, via experts Song Zhongping and Zhang Junshe, labels Japan a “thief crying ‘stop thief'” for approaching Liaoning first, forcing “legitimate” Chinese countermeasures. It alleges Japanese jets posed “potential threats,” while Beijing’s response was “professional.”
Fact Check Verdict: Unverifiable and One-Sided – Leans Propaganda. China’s Navy spokesperson, Col. Wang Xuemeng, echoed this, claiming JASDF planes “repeatedly approached and disrupted” pre-announced drills east of Miyako Strait, endangering safety. Japan hasn’t detailed its jets’ proximity but scrambled them to monitor the carrier group—standard procedure near sensitive zones. No independent verification (e.g., from US allies) confirms who buzzed whom first, but historical patterns show mutual intercepts in the region. The “victim-blaming” idiom is rhetorical flair, not evidence—flagging potential fake news via exaggeration.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian’s quote reinforces China’s “defensive” policy, dismissing accusations as “groundless.” True to Beijing’s line, but ignores Japan’s parallel complaints of Chinese incursions (over 100 in 2025).
How Global Times Twists the Narrative
Global Times, a CCP mouthpiece, excels at “wolf warrior” diplomacy—aggressive defense masking expansion.
- Selective Sourcing and Echo Chamber: Only Chinese experts (Song, Zhang) and officials (Lin, Wang) speak; no Japanese rebuttals beyond mockery. This creates a feedback loop, ignoring balanced views like Australia’s “deep concern” over China’s actions while urging calm.
- Loaded Language and Idioms: Phrases like “perpetrator blaming victim” and “thief crying ‘stop thief'” evoke moral outrage, framing Japan as deceitful hypocrite. This nationalist trope vilifies Tokyo without proof, a classic propaganda tool to rally domestic support.
- Broader Conspiracy Framing: Ties the incident to PM Sanae Takaichi’s November 2025 Taiwan comments—where she linked a Chinese blockade to Japan’s “survival-threatening situation”—and alleged “right-wing” pushes for constitutional revision. Fact: Takaichi’s remarks did spark a feud, with Beijing demanding retraction; Taiwan praised them as “justice.” But the article inflates this into a “China threat” plot for Japanese militarism, ignoring Tokyo’s defensive buildup amid PLA drills. US reaction? Muted—Trump urged de-escalation privately, no State Dept. comment yet.
- Hypocrisy Highlight: Zhang questions why Japan doesn’t “hype” US activities—valid point, as US carriers transit freely, but glosses over alliance dynamics. This deflects scrutiny, a propaganda staple.
Overall, no outright fake news (claims align with Beijing’s stance), but heavy bias: 80% opinion, 20% facts, per source analysis. It amplifies victimhood to justify assertiveness, eroding trust in Chinese media amid 2025’s Taiwan flare-ups.
The Global Times piece isn’t “fake news” in the hoax sense— the radar incident is real, and mutual blame is documented. But its propaganda shines through in cherry-picked quotes, inflammatory framing, and conspiracy-laced motives, painting China as blameless defender while demonizing Japan. In a year of heightened Indo-Pacific risks, this sows division over dialogue.
