The Chinese Embassy in Japan has lodged a solemn protest and expressed strong opposition over Japan’s Foreign Minister’s remarks marking the 10th anniversary of the so-called South China Sea arbitration ruling and Japan’s joint statement with other countries on the matter, according to a post published by the embassy’s official WeChat account on Monday.
Shi Yong, Charge d’Affaires ad interim of Chinese Embassy to Japan, raised the demarche with Kanai Masaaki, director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Monday.
The so-called ruling violated the basic norms of international law, severely undermined the seriousness and authority of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and dealt a serious blow to the rule of law in international affairs. The ruling is “nothing more than a piece of illegal and invalid waste paper with no binding force,” and China opposes and rejects any claims or actions based on it, the embassy said.
China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea will not be affected by the ruling under any circumstances, it said.
Japan bears historical responsibility for issues concerning the South China Sea and has yet to conduct a thorough reflection and reckoning over its past. Therefore it has no right to make irresponsible comments on the issue, the embassy said.
Japan keeps interfering in South China Sea affairs and politically manipulated the illegal ruling. The egregious words and deeds constitute a challenge to the postwar international order and the international rule of law, undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea, run counter to the common interests and aspirations of regional countries, and arouse grave vigilance among regional countries and the international community, the embassy said.
China will respond firmly and forcefully to Japan’s provocations and resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, the embassy said.
