Q: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe accused China of unilaterally changing the status quo of the East China Sea at the Japan-ASEAN Special Summit, saying that "the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) China has established in the East China Sea is unjustly violating the freedom of aviation over the high seas" and demanding that "China rescind all measures like this". What is China's comment?
A: The Japanese leader took advantage of the international occasion to slander China. We are strongly dissatisfied with that.
The Diaoyu Islands are integral parts of China's territory. Japan's theft and occupation of the Diaoyu Islands has been illegal and invalid since the very beginning. It is Japan who has been deliberately making an issue of the Diaoyu Islands since last year. No one other than Japan is unilaterally changing the status quo of the Diaoyu Islands. It is fully justified and beyond reproach for China to do what is necessary in accordance with law to safeguard national territorial sovereignty.
The establishment of the East China ADIZ is a defensive measure taken by China to uphold air security, which conforms to international laws and conventions and does not affect the freedom of overflight to which aircrafts of all countries are entitled under international laws. Japan intentionally targets China on this issue, with a view to stealthily implanting a false idea, practicing double-standard and misleading world opinion. Japan's attempt is doomed to failure.