China expressed Thursday its "strong dissatisfaction" with and "firm opposition" to Japan and the United States, alleging their leaders grossly interfered in its internal affairs with regard to Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own, during their meeting in Washington.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed during their summit on the critical importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a press conference that the Taiwan issue "does not allow for any interference from external forces" and urged Washington not to support the island's independence. She also called on Tokyo to be "cautious in its words and deeds" due to its past colonial rule of the territory.
As for the sovereignty over the Tokyo-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which Beijing claims, Mao underlined that they have been China's "inherent territory since ancient times" and that her country will "resolutely respond to illegal acts that infringe on China's sovereignty."
Her remarks came after Biden said the Senkakus, called Diaoyu in China, are covered by Article 5 of the 1960 Japan-U.S. security treaty, which calls for Washington to defend territories under Japanese administration from armed attack.
Japan administers the uninhabited islets, but China has claimed them since the early 1970s.
Meanwhile, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry thanked the Japanese and U.S. leaders for publicly expressing the importance of cross-strait peace and stability.
Noting China's continued military expansion has "posed severe challenges to the region," the democratic island vowed to work with the United States, Japan and all like-minded partners to promote regional peace, stability and prosperity.
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