China firmly opposes recent U.S.-Japan-Philippines joint statement: defense spokesperson

BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Thursday said a recent joint statement issued by Japan, the Philippines, and the United States disregards facts, confuses right with wrong, and makes groundless accusations against China.

Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a media query regarding the U.S.-Japan-Philippines joint statement, which touches on the situation at Ren'ai Jiao in Nansha Qundao, issues in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, and question related to China's Taiwan region.

China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters, which is solidly grounded in history and the law, said Wu.

He noted that the scope of the Philippines' territory is defined by a series of international treaties, including the 1898 Treaty of Peace Between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, the 1900 Treaty Between the Kingdom of Spain and the United States of America for Cession of Outlying Islands of the Philippines, and the 1930 Convention Between the United States of America and Great Britain Delimiting the Boundary Between the Philippine Archipelago and the State of North Borneo.

Nansha Qundao and Huangyan Dao are far beyond the scope of Philippine territory defined by the above-mentioned treaties, Wu said. "The Philippine side knows all these very well," he said.

Regarding Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands, Wu said they were first discovered, named and exploited by China and had long been under China's jurisdiction since the early years of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), while Japan stole Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands during the First Sino-Japanese War.

In accordance with such international legal documents as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, Diaoyu Dao was returned to China in terms of international law, Wu said, stressing that this has long been a recognized fact of the international community.

It is wishful thinking for the Japanese side to stir up disputes over the sovereignty of these islands, he added.

As for the so-called South China Sea arbitration and ruling, Wu said they breached due principles and procedures, and seriously violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and other general international laws.

He said the arbitral tribunal violated the principle of state consent, exercised its jurisdiction ultra vires, and rendered an award in disregard of the law.

The arbitration violates UNLOS and general international law. The rendered award is illegal, null and void. China does not accept or recognize the award.

"By the way, the US itself has a terrible record of delivering on international arbitration. It rejects to accept legitimate arbitrations multiple times, let alone illegal ones like this. We ask the US side to reflect on itself thoroughly before pointing its fingers at others," he said.

Noting that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and requires no external interference, Wu said the U.S., Japanese, and Philippine governments have all made solemn commitments to China on the Taiwan question.

"We urge the above-mentioned countries to honor their words and to immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs and undermining regional peace and stability," said Wu.