China Strongly Condemns Biden's Remarks on Applying Senkaku to US-Japan Security Treaty

President Joe Biden of the United States
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] Chinese authorities strongly opposed the statement by U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga during their first phone call that the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty includes an obligation to defend Japan, including the Senkaku Islands (Chinese name Diaoyu Islands).

Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing on the 28th that "the Diaoyu Islands are China's inherent territory" and pointed out that "the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty is a product of the Cold War." He added, "The U.S.-Japan Security Treaty must never harm the interests of a third country" and emphasized that "it must not undermine regional peace and stability."

Earlier, the U.S. and Japanese leaders agreed during a phone call in the early morning of the 28th (Korean time) to closely cooperate to further strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance. President Biden also stated, "The U.S.-Japan alliance is the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in a free and open Indo-Pacific," and expressed that "there is a firm obligation to defend Japan, including the application of Article 5 of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty to the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture."

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