Chi opposes US backing Japan over disputed islands

Beijing, Feb 13: Chi on Monday firmly opposed the affirmation made by the US and Japanese leaders that the US-Japan security treaty covered Chi’s disputed islands in the East Chi Sea. “Chi expressed grave concern at and firm opposition to the statements made by Japan and the United States,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. “We firmly oppose that Japan asked for the endorsement of the United States on its illegal territorial claim in the me of the US-Japan security treaty.” he added.

Chi and Japan lay claims to the disputed islands in the East Chi Sea. While Chi calls them as Diaoyu, the Japanese have med them Senkaku. A joint US-Japan statement issued over the weekend after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s meeting with US President Dold Trump in Washington affirmed that a clause of the US-Japan security treaty covered the Diaoyu islands.

“Diaoyu island and its affiliated islets are Chi’s inherent territory. No matter what anyone says or does, the fact that the Diaoyu islands belong to Chi cannot be changed,” Geng said.

“Chi will never waver in its determition and will to safeguard tiol sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added. He said Japan and the United States should speak and stop making false statements so as to avoid complicating relevant issues and casting a shadow on regiol peace and stability. The joint US-Japan statement also mentioned Chi’s reef construction in the South Chi Sea. Geng said that Chi’s construction on its own islands was “totally within Chi’s sovereignty and has nothing to do with militarisation”.

Geng said the leading cause of militarisation in the South Chi Sea was that some countries had sent aircraft and vessels to show military force or drive a wedge between countries in the region. He said Chi had indisputable sovereignty over islands in the South Chi Sea and its adjacent waters. He added that Chi was committed to solving differences with countries directly concerned in a peaceful way, and safeguarding stability in the region with ASEAN countries.

“We urge the United States and Japan to view the South Chi Sea issue objectively and ratiolly and do more to contribute to the peace and stability of the South Chi Sea, not the other way around,” Geng said. (IANS)