BEIJING, July 13, 2016 (People’s Daily) A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday asked Japan to stop interfering in the South China Sea issue.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a statement that China hopes Japan will bear in mind the terms of China-Japan relations and of regional peace and stability, and reflect on its position on South China Sea disputes.

Lu said the unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines aims to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.

China did not participate in the arbitration and neither accepts nor recognizes the award, the spokesperson added.

The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration issued its ruling on Tuesday. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that the award of the tribunal is final and legally binding, and all parties should comply.