China sends warning shot to US: Meddle in East China Sea affairs and face INSTABILITY
CHINA has warned the United States of "instability" if it meddles over the sovereignty of a group of inhabited islands in the East China Sea.
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Beijing issued the warning shot over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands as its relations with Donald Trump deteriorate following the US President’s election campaign.
US Defence Secretary, James Mattis vowed to continue to protect the islands on behalf of Japan and made it clear America would oppose “unilateral action” to “overthrow” Japan’s leadership.
China and Japan are engulfed in a territorial dispute after the islands, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, which were transferred to Japan’s administrative control in 1971 by the US.
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I made clear that our long-standing policy on the Senkaku Islands stands
Mr Mattis said: “I made clear that our long-standing policy on the Senkaku Islands stands – the US will continue to recognise Japanese administration of the islands and as such Article 5 of the US-Japan Security Treaty applies.”
Beijing was quick to respond to Mr Mattis’ comments, warning America to back down or face instability.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: “The Diaoyu Island and its adjacent islets have been an inherent part of Chinese territory since ancient times, which is a unchangeable historical fact.”
Mr Kang described the US-Japan security treaty as the “product of the Cold War".
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Japan has sovereignty over Diaoyu Island
The islands were transferred to Japan’s administrative control in 1971 by the US
The spokesman added: “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,”
Relations between Washington and Beiing are currently on a knife edge after Donald Trump was highly critical of China during his election campaign and has done little to improve relations since sweeping to power.