Beijing has reminded the US that it has “inherent” sovereignty over a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea after the new US defense secretary vowed to continue to protect the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands on behalf of Japan.
The islands, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, were transferred by US under Japan’s administrative control in 1971, sparking a territorial dispute with China. Beijing has claimed ownership of the islands from the 14th century, while Tokyo argues it had ownership of the islands from 1895 until its surrender at the end of World War II.
Speaking in Tokyo on Saturday, at the end of a visit to East Asia, new US Defense Secretary James Mattis reaffirmed American commitment to Japan’s security. Mattis made clear that the United States opposes any “unilateral action” to “overthrow” Japan’s administration of the Senkaku Islands.
“I made clear that our long-standing policy on the Senkaku Islands stands – the US will continue to recognize Japanese administration of the islands and as such Article 5 of the US-Japan Security Treaty applies,” Mattis said in a press conference with Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada.
Under Article 5 of the treaty, the US agreed to defend territories under Japanese administration, which would include the disputed island chain in the East China Sea.
Beijing was quick to respond to Mattis’s comments, urging the US to tone down its rhetoric in regards to China in order to avoid instability to the region.
“The Diaoyu Island and its adjacent islets have been an inherent part of Chinese territory since ancient times, which is a unchangeable historical fact,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said following the US official’s statement.
The spokesman called the US-Japan security treaty a “product of the Cold War,” which should not harm China’s territorial “sovereignty and legitimate rights.”
“We urge the US side to take a responsible attitude, stop making wrong remarks on the issue involving the Diaoyu Islands sovereignty, and avoid making the issue more complicated and bringing instability to the regional situation,” the spokesman added, according to Xinhua.
China and the US seem to be heading on a collision course after President Donald Trump assumed power in the US. Trump entered office at the time of tense relations between Beijing and Washington.
Source: RT
