BEIJING (Reuters) – Japan is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to intervene in China-Philippines maritime issues, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Japan said on Friday.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry said this week it was seriously concerned about repeated actions that obstruct freedom of navigation and increase regional tensions, including recent dangerous actions that damaged a Philippine ship and injured Filipinos on board.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry denounced as “illegal and aggressive” China’s actions during a routine resupply mission on Monday, which the Philippine military said seriously injured a Navy sailor and damaged Manila’s ships.
China has denied the allegations as the two countries face off on Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed atoll within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the vast South China Sea.
“We express our strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the fact that the Japanese side has once again made erroneous comments on the South China Sea issue that manipulate right and wrong and make unreasonable accusations against China,” the spokesperson said. voice.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, infuriating neighboring countries. The Permanent Court of Arbitration concluded in 2016 that China’s sweeping claims have no legal basis, a decision Beijing rejects.
Japan said it has consistently advocated upholding the rule of law at sea and will continue to work with the international community such as ASEAN member states and the United States.
“Japan’s cooperation with the United States and the Philippines must not harm China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” China’s spokesperson said in a statement.
The US, Canada, Japan and the Philippines recently concluded a two-day joint maritime exercise in the Manila exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.
(Reporting by Bernard Orr, Farah Master in Hong Kong and Shanghai newsroom; editing by Himani Sarkar and Gerry Doyle)
