China urges Japan to honor its commitments to peace: spokeswoman

China urges Japan to learn lessons from history and honor its commitments to peace, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Tuesday.

Mao made the remarks when asked to comment on recent statement made by Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara that Japan’s "exclusively defense-oriented policy" remains unchanged, so China’s criticism regarding neo-militarism is "completely off the mark."

"What matter more are Japan’s actions, rather than its words. Over recent years, the Japanese government has kept increasing its military expenditure, easing restrictions on export of lethal weapons, taking part in military drills, advancing the deployment of long-range missiles, building so-called counterstrike capability which enables offensive operations, hoarding sensitive nuclear materials, promoting the revision of its pacifist Constitution, advocating that Japan should become a war-capable nation, and breaching the rules of international and domestic laws. Are these actions anything close to Japan’s claim that its exclusively defense-oriented policy remains unchanged? Inconsistency in Japan’s words and deeds will by no means alleviate international concern over Japan’s remilitarization," said Mao.

"Japanese militarism brought catastrophe to the world and inflicted untold suffering on the Japanese people. Neo-militarism is a path down the same abyss. We urge the Japanese side to learn lessons from history, honor its commitments to peace, and earn trust from its Asian neighbors and the international community with concrete actions," she said.

China urges Japan to honor its commitments to peace: spokeswoman

The Chinese mainland is willing to engage in consultations with relevant parties in Taiwan on reunification under certain legal guarantees, said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.

Formosa Alliance, a group in Taiwan known for its radical pro-separatism stance, has issued an open letter, expressing willingness to adjust its stance and participate in cross-Strait reunification negotiations on the condition of the "people in Taiwan governing Taiwan and a high degree of autonomy" being guaranteed by clear legal commitments.

When asked for his comment, Chen reiterated the mainland's consistent position that cross-Strait unification is inevitable.

"The two sides of the Taiwan Strait will eventually and definitely achieve reunification. We are willing to, on the shared political foundation of upholding the '1992 Consensus' and opposing 'Taiwan separatism', engage in dialogue and consultation with all political parties, groups, sectors and social strata in Taiwan regarding the development of cross-Strait relations and the future of the nation, and jointly promote the process of national reunification," he said.

Mainland open to consultations on reunification with Taiwan: spokesman