Echoing views expressed barely a fortnight ago by PLAN Senior Colonel Li Jie, PLA Major General Qian Lihua warned during the annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing on March 3, that the Chinese army will not stir up a war but will fight back against any provocation. Qian Lihua, formerly Director of the Foreign Affairs Office under China's Ministry of National Defense and currently a member of the National Committee of the CPPCC, said "at present we cannot completely rule out the possibility of clashes in East Asia, but it is not decided by China." Stating that "Japan has lost its direction, which has been taken advantage of by right-wing forces to challenge the international order formed after World War II," Major General Qian Lihua added that "the Chinese army and the Chinese people are capable of containing the development of Japan's militarism and will prevent them from making trouble around China" . He did say, however, that no country wants to have wars considering the current economic difficulties but that "If there is a war, it will only damage the hard-earned economic recovery"