China never accepts Japan's "control" of waters near Diaoyu Islands

BEIJING, Nov. 22 (People's Daily Online) -- A spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday reiterated that the country has never accepted Japan's so-called existence on, or control of, the sea area adjacent to the Diaoyu Islands.

"China has always stressed that Japan's so-called existence on, or control of, the sea area adjacent to the Diaoyu Islands is illegal and invalid, which China never accepts," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily press briefing on Thursday.

Hua made the remarks when asked to comment on Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba's latest article carried by a U.S. newspaper that said China did not accept post-war international order.

"The Japanese foreign chief's comments are extremely wrong and irresponsible," Hua said, adding that Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times, which is supported by historical facts and jurisprudential evidence.

Hua said the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation were the legal basis for the Allied Powers and Japan to conclude World War II and construct post-war international order in Asia and the Pacific.

These two treaties also laid the legal basis for China and Japan to settle post-war territorial entitlements, Hua said.