China lodges complaints over US, South Korea, Japan summit statement

BEIJING – China has lodged complaints over a statement released at a first-of-its-kind summit of the leaders of the United States, South Korea and Japan in which they criticised Beijing’s “aggressive behaviour”.

US President Joe Biden hosted the summit – described as

launching a “new chapter” of close, three-way security cooperation

– at the presidential retreat Camp David.

In a joint statement on Friday, the three leaders said they

opposed the “dangerous and aggressive behaviour” of China

in maritime disputes in the East and South China Sea.

Beijing hit back on Monday, saying the leaders “smeared and attacked China on Taiwan-related and maritime issues, grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs and deliberately sowed discord between China and its neighbours”.

It also expressed “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition and has lodged solemn representations with relevant parties”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a news briefing.

The Camp David statement specifically referenced Taiwan, calling peace and stability on the issue “an indispensable element of security and prosperity in the international community”.

“There is no change in our basic positions on Taiwan, and we call for a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues,” it said.

On Saturday, China’s People’s Liberation Army

staged air and sea drills around Taiwan

in what it said was a “stern warning” after the island’s

vice-president William Lai visited the US.

“If relevant countries really care about peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, they should abide by the ‘one China’ principle, stop condoning and supporting separatists advocating for Taiwan independence and their activities, and take concrete actions to safeguard regional peace and stability,” Mr Wang said on Monday.

“The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair. Solving the Taiwan question is China’s own business.” AFP