China opposes Japanese PM's criticism of Chinese mainland military exercises in Taiwan region

Japan had no position to make irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan question, China said on Tuesday.

“We firmly oppose Japan’s erroneous remarks and unreasonable accusations,” said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a routine press briefing in Beijing.

Wang’s denunciation came in response to remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Friday that missiles fired during Chinese military exercises landed in Japan's "exclusive economic zone".

“Japan has no legal, political or moral position to make such irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan question,” the ministry spokesperson said.

Japan “should acknowledge and keep in mind” that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China as stipulated in the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, Wang said.

“Japan is so high profile on the Taiwan question that it makes us wonder whether it still remembers the commitments it made when signing the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, whether it intends to overturn the political foundation of China-Japan relationship, whether it wants to encroach on Taiwan again, and whether it is going to abandon the path of peaceful development,” he said.

“The waters around Taiwan are all Chinese territory and there is no ‘Japan's exclusive economic zone,’” Wang said. “The military exercises conducted in the waters surrounding China's territory are in an open, transparent and professional manner, and conform with Chinese laws, international laws and international practices.”

He urged Japan to seriously reflect on its history of aggression and “stop making irresponsible remarks or committing faulty actions against Taiwan following the US.”

(Compiled by Yang Luxin)