Japan: Completion of Chinese islands in West PHL Sea do not constitute sovereignty

From Ang Malaya (Jun 17): Japan: Completion of Chinese islands in West PHL Sea do not constitute sovereignty

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said today that China’s newly created islands in West Philippine Sea do not constitute China’s sovereignty over disputed territories. “With the completion of the reclamation, we must not accept the land reclamation as a done deal. We demand [China] not take unilateral actions that bring irreversible and physical changes.”

The statement from Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary came after China revealed that some of its reclamation and construction activities in West Philippine Sea are nearing completion.

“We hold serious and significant concerns about the unilateral actions aimed at changing the status quo, which are bound to increase tension,” Suga said.

The Chinese foreign affairs ministry was quick to react. “This kind of argument is not new to us. It is pointless for relevant people in Japan to continue to make an issue of this topic,” a spokesman from the Chinese ministry said.

“I want to stress that China has indisputable sovereignty over relevant islands and reefs in the South China Sea, which does not need to be proven by the construction work,” the Chinese spokesman said.

China is known to be currently doing reclamation and construction activities in at least seven reefs in Spratly Islands in West Philippine Sea.

http://www.angmalaya.net/world/2015/06/17/11505-japan-completion-of-chinese-islands-in-west-phl-sea-do-not-constitute-sovereignty