Japan concerned about China’s activities on East Sea
Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera has voiced deep concern about reports that Chinese bombers had landed for the first time at an airport on the East Sea.
Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Tokyo (VNA) – Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera hasvoiced deep concern about reports that Chinese bombers had landed for the firsttime at an airport on the East Sea.
Japanese broadcaster NHK on May 22 quoted Onodera as saying that Chinahad increased large-scale reclamation activities on the East Sea along with theconstruction of military facilities and bases and other activities.
The minister said those moves of China aimed at unilaterally changingthe status quo and creating a fait accompli.
He urged the international community to cooperate to maintain andstrengthen the rule-based order at sea.
Earlier, Chinese air force announced that some strategic bombers of the countrylanded at an airport in Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago in the East Sea on May18.
Vietnam said the Chinese move seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereigntyover the archipelago and ran counter to the Vietnam-China agreement on basicprinciples guiding the settlement of sea-related issues as well as theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) between theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China.
Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang alsosaid China’s acts have adversely affected negotiations on the Code of Conductin the East Sea (COC) between the ASEAN and China, fueled tensions and causedinstability in the region, and hampered efforts to maintain peace, stabilityand cooperation in the East Sea.
The spokesperson reiterated that Vietnam has full legal foundation andhistorical evidence affirming its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa(Spratly) archipelagoes in line with international law.
Vietnam asks China not to conductmilitarisation activities, respect Vietnam’s sovereignty over the twoarchipelagoes, observe the Vietnam-China agreement on basic principles guidingthe settlement of sea-related issues and the DOC, and create a favourableenvironment for the maintenance of regional peace, stability and cooperation,Hang said.-VNA
The foreign ministers of the Group Seven (G7)- Cananda, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US expressed concern about the situation in the East and South China seas in the communiqué issued following their meeting in Toronto early this week.
Vietnam asks China, as a large nation in the region and the world, to perform its responsibility in maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, stated Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang on May 8.
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Vietnam requests China to immediately stop sending bombers to conduct drills in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, said the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.
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Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
