Japan's erroneous remarks on South China Sea firmly opposed

China has expressed firm opposition to erroneous remarks of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs about recent Filipino moves in the South China Sea, said a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Japan on Friday.

Japanese ministry's press release on June 18, claiming of "recent surge in tensions in the South China Sea," misrepresents the facts and unjustly accusing China, the spokesperson said, thus the Chinese side is voicing strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition and lodging a solemn protest.

The spokesperson emphasized that the rights and wrongs surrounding the recent developments at Ren'ai Jiao are clear.

Despite China's warnings, the Philippines has repeatedly attempted to illegally deliver supplies to its wrongly grounded warship, aiming to occupy Ren'ai Jiao in China's Nansha Islands for the long term.

The responsive actions of the China Coast Guard are reasonable, lawful, professional, and restrained. China will continue to respond legally to the Philippines' infringing and provocative actions, resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty and rights, the spokesperson said.

"We firmly oppose Japan using the illegal and invalid award on the ‘South China Sea arbitration' to pressure China," he said.

The spokesperson further noted that it is widely known that the arbitral tribunal in the so-called South China Sea arbitration violated the principle of state consent, overstepped its authority, and made unjust rulings, which seriously contravened international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China's stance has been consistent: it does not accept or recognize the ruling, nor does it accept any claims or actions based on it.

"Japan is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to intervene in maritime matters between China and the Philippines. Japan should not cooperate with the US and the Philippines in ways that undermine China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, nor should it support the Philippines' illegal claims," he said.

The facts prove that there has never been an issue with freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. On the contrary, it is certain that driven by selfish interests, external countries are forming small cliques and continuously creating tensions and problems in the South China Sea, the spokesperson said.

"We sternly urge Japan to stop stirring up trouble and provoking disputes, and refrain from becoming a disruptor and troublemaker in the South China Sea," he said.