BEIJING, April 19 -- By defaming China as irresponsible, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe once again showed the whole world his ignorance of responsibility.

The nationalist leader on Thursday accused China of changing the status quo with force in maritime disputes, calling on the international community to prod China to peacefully rise as a responsible country.

His misleading and nonsensical claim over China is nothing but a imprudent perversion of truth. As a matter of fact, it is Abe and his government that have had no sense of responsibility and changed the status quo in the territorial dispute with China.

The Japanese side has already become a recidivous troublemaker in East Asia by denying history, sabotaging the postwar world order and scuttling its pacifist constitution.

So, it is ironic that a troublemaking Japan urges a responsible China to act responsibly.

In contrast to Japan, China always matches its words with deeds. It advocates peaceful settlement to regional disputes and plays constructive and responsible roles in regional and global affairs.

Beijing's territorial demands in the South China Sea and East China Sea are justified and buttressed by numerous historic evidences and fully backed by international norms under the UN charter.

China shows great respects to its neighbors and regional stability by consistently exercising restraints in regional disputes.

What's more, China is not hesitant to shoulder its responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN Secuirty Council and a reliable partner.

As a heavyweight regional player, the United States should see through Abe's covert motivation.

He wants to hide the fact that the simmering tension in East Asia was ignited by no one but his government by "nationalizing" China's Diaoyu Islands in 2012, and his visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine last December, which worships war criminals during World War II.

His groundless criticism of China was meant to hype the "China threat" cliche to the Japanese and world people.

Moreover, by launching a verbal campaign against China a week before U.S. President Barack Obama's Asia trip, Abe is playing dog-whistle politics with its American ally: Time for us to work together to contain China.

What is more disappointing is that his conspiracy seems to be working to some extent, as some U.S. senior officials, including Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, have bought it by harshly criticizing Beijing rather than Tokyo.

It will be disastrous if the United States, one of the ballasts of global and regional peace and stability, as well as other countries in the region, continues to turn a blind eye to Abe's tricks of casting a bone between Washington and Beijing.