The Defense Ministry said Tuesday it remains deeply concerned about China*s maritime ambitions in the region, particularly in the light of Chinese domestic trends.

The defense white paper for 2015 examines a range of global threats and pays particular attention to China*s growing military assertiveness in the East China Sea and South China Sea, accusing it of ※high-handed§ actions to change the status quo by force.

※Coupled with a lack of transparency in terms of military and security affairs, China*s military development is of concern to the regional and international community, including our country,§ Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told a news conference following Cabinet approval of the annual paper.