China slams Japan's so-called "free and open Indo-Pacific" vision

BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Thursday slammed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's so-called "free and open Indo-Pacific" vision.

"Ostensibly, it champions openness and freedom, but its real agenda is about division and confrontation," Guo said at a regular press briefing, adding that it runs counter to the shared aspiration of regional countries for peace, development and cooperation.