China summoned a senior Japanese diplomat on Friday to lodge a complaint that claimed Tokyo displayed a "negative" stance toward Beijing during a Japan-U.S. summit and in trilateral talks involving the Philippines held in Washington, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Liu Jinsong, director-general of the ministry's Asian Affairs Department, made "solemn representations" and expressed "serious concern and strong dissatisfaction" regarding the two summits in a meeting with Akira Yokochi, chief minister at the Japanese Embassy in China, it said.
The embassy said Yokochi explained Tokyo's stance to Liu and exchanged views with him over bilateral relations and issues of common concern.
Liu also met with Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime Flor Cruz Friday and made "solemn representations" concerning Manila's "negative words and deeds" in relation to China during the trilateral summit, the Chinese ministry said.
The leaders of the United States, Japan and the Philippines on Thursday agreed to advance their defense and economic cooperation in a move aimed at pushing back against China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.
The trilateral summit followed Wednesday's meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in the U.S. capital, where they agreed to bolster their bilateral security alliance with China's growing military assertiveness in the region in mind.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press conference that Beijing strongly opposes the three countries' manipulation of "small-group politics," as well as "any acts that instigate and drive up tensions."
She also said China "opposes forming exclusive circles in the region" and urged the three countries not to cooperate on things that may be "to the detriment of other countries' interest."
As for China's territorial disputes with Japan and the Philippines in the East and South China seas, the spokeswoman said Beijing has "indisputable sovereignty" over contested islands and will "never accept the groundless accusations and malicious smears" against it.
"China will unswervingly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," Mao added.
In response to Kishida's speech to the U.S. Congress, in which he described China's military actions as presenting "an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge," Mao said, "We strongly deplore and firmly reject such remarks."
"I want to stress China is always a contributor and advocator of world peace," she said, claiming Beijing is committed to a defensive national policy and has never launched a war. Mao called on Japan to reflect on its past military aggression in the region and "stop hyping up" the notion that China is a threat.
Kishida said in his landmark speech that China poses a challenge "not only to the peace and security of Japan but to the peace and stability of the international community at large."
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