China on Thursday voiced its concerns over Japan's move to expand its military role by endorsing three new bills, urging Japan to abide by its commitment not to be a military power.

Japan's cabinet on Tuesday endorsed the bills which were designed to give the Japanese government and the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) more power in the case of foreign attack, and submitted them to the Diet (Japan's parliament) on Wednesday.

The move marked the first step by the Japanese government to compile what it calls "emergency legislation on war contingencies," aiming at easing restrictions on the SDF's use of weapons in the event of a military emergency.

"China is concerned about the act, so are other Asian countries," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said at a press briefing in Beijing.

Zhang said that as a result of historical reasons, Japan should sincerely abide by its commitments to limit its defense power to its own territory and coastal waters, and not to seek to be a big military power.

She urged Japan to stay on the track of peaceful development because "it is not only in the interests of Japan, but also vital to peace and stability in the region where it is located."

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2002)