Ministry of Defense Responds to US, UK, France, and Germany's Comments on Taiwan: The Provocateurs are Japan and the Philippines, Forming Alliances to Pressure China is Useless
On the afternoon of June 25, the Ministry of Defense held a regular press conference, where Major General Zhang Xiaogang, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, answered questions from reporters.
Reporter: Japan and the Philippines have initiated negotiations on exclusive economic zones, while China has launched law enforcement actions in the eastern waters of Taiwan. The offices of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany in Taiwan have stated that they believe China's actions threaten regional stability, freedom of navigation, and the safety of international shipping, exacerbating tensions. What is your comment on this? Will future related actions take more consideration of the international community's calls?
Zhang Xiaogang: The maritime area announced by Japan and the Philippines for delineation is located east of Taiwan Island, which has exclusive economic zones and continental shelves belonging to China. Japan and the Philippines have unilaterally initiated so-called maritime boundary negotiations, bypassing China, which seriously violates international law and the basic principles of international relations, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and severely infringes upon China's maritime rights and interests. Our law enforcement patrols in the relevant waters are lawful and necessary, and are a just act to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. The standard for judging right and wrong is not based on who shouts louder; in this matter, it is Japan and the Philippines that are infringing and provoking, and forming alliances to pressure China is ineffective.
On June 25, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense conducted law enforcement operations in the East Taiwan Sea, asserting its rights against Japan and the Philippines' exclusive economic zone negotiations. The spokesperson criticized these actions as violations of international law and emphasized that pressure from allied nations would be ineffective against China.
- China asserts its rights in the East Taiwan Sea against Japan and the Philippines' actions.
- The Chinese Ministry of National Defense conducted law enforcement operations in response to these actions.
- The report emphasizes that Japan and the Philippines are violating international law by initiating negotiations without China's consent.