Beijing: China rejected on Monday Japan’s accusations of firing missiles into its exclusive economic zone during an exercise off Taiwan, saying they were Chinese waters.
“We firmly reject Japan’s false and ungrounded criticism,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a daily press briefing.
China sees Taiwan as its territory. Wang argued that the borders of China’s and Japan’s exclusive economic zones near the island in the East China Sea were yet to be settled.
“Taiwan is a Chinese territory, and China has been conducting a routine military exercise in its own waters. They are being staged in an open, transparent and professional way,” he added.
He accused Tokyo of toeing the US line on Taiwan. Beijing launched the drills last Thursday, a day after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island while on an Asia tour.
Wang said the exercise sent a signal to “provocateurs” while protecting China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also called out Japan for advocating nuclear disarmament despite relying on Washington’s “nuclear umbrella.” Several Japanese lawmakers have urged Tokyo to keep the nuclear option on the table.
