In a definitive statement addressing regional maritime tensions, China’s Ministry of National Defense has formally declared its patrol activities around the Diaoyu Islands as both lawful and justified. Defense spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang articulated China’s position during a Thursday press briefing, emphasizing the nation’s historical claims to the islands and their adjacent waters.
Zhang characterized the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated territories as ‘China’s inherent territory,’ framing coast guard operations in these waters as legitimate measures to protect national maritime interests. The spokesperson’s comments came specifically in response to recent Japanese media reports scrutinizing China’s maritime patrols in the contested region.
The defense official issued a stern warning to Japan, urging caution in both actions and rhetoric regarding the matter. ‘We urge Japan to act and speak with caution and refrain from taking any moves that may escalate the situation,’ Zhang stated, employing a vivid Chinese proverb to underscore his point: ‘Otherwise, it will lift a rock only to drop it on its own feet.’
The spokesperson’s remarks reinforce China’s firm stance against external criticism of its maritime activities, presenting them as non-negotiable exercises of national sovereignty rather than subjects for international debate.