Q：In their statement for the trilateral summit, the United States, Japan, and the Philippines reiterated the U.S. alliance commitments to both Japan and the Philippines and their commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight, while expressing serious concerns over Ren’ai Jiao and China’s dangerous and aggressive behavior in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, and calling for a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. What’s the embassy’s comments on this?

A: By clinging on to the Cold War mentality, the United States, Japan, and the Philippines cobble together exclusive groupings. They stoke confrontation in the name of cooperation. Their so-called summit is indeed a platform to launch baseless attack against China on the Taiwan question and maritime issues, blatantly interfering in China's internal affairs and undermining  China’s security and strategic interest. The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction with and resolute opposition to this.

The Taiwan question is purely China's internal affairs and is at the core of China's core interests. The one-China principle is the political premise on which China establishes and develops diplomatic relations with the Philippines, a universally recognized norm in international relations and a prevailing consensus among the international community. The Philippine Government recognizes the one-China policy in the Joint Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, which is implemented by successive Philippine governments. China urges the Philippines to earnestly observe the one-China principle and act prudently.

China has indisputable sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands, as well as Nanhai Zhudao. China’s activities in the East China Sea and the South China Sea are lawful, justified and beyond reproach. China will never accept the groundless accusations and malicious smears by relevant countries on the East China Sea and South China Sea issues, and will never accept the illegal award of the South China Sea Arbitration or any unilateral action based on it. With the instigation and support of forces from outside the region such as the United States and Japan, the Philippines has been constantly provocative in the South China Sea over the recent period of time. China is compelled to take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. We urge the Philippines to respect the facts, abide by the relevant understandings it has reached with China, and return to the right track of properly managing differences through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible.

The current situations in the East China Sea and the South China Sea are generally stable. The United States and Japan are fanning the flames, provoking confrontation, escalating the situation, using freedom of navigation and overflight as a pretext for the "freedom of rampage" of their warships and aircrafts. The U.S. frequently threatens to invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines, blatantly supporting the latter's violation of China's sovereignty. Such actions are serious breaches of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and seriously endanger regional peace and stability. We urge the Philippines not to collude with non-regional forces, or it will be used as a pawn against China and only to be discarded.

We urge the United States, Japan and the Philippines to follow the trend of the times, stop playing bloc politics, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop undermining regional peace and stability. China will unswervingly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.