Compatriots across the Taiwan Strait have the unshirkable duty to jointly safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Chen Xi, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense said at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
The China Coast Guard (CCG) conducted law enforcement patrols in the relevant waters earlier in June after Japan and the Philippines unilaterally announced the launch of maritime delimitation negotiations in the waters east of China's Taiwan Island.
The CCG's patrols are fully justified and necessary, Chen said in response to media reports that Taiwan's defense affairs authorities described the patrols as "a provocative act" and "cognitive warfare".
"Taiwan is part of China, and China has an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in waters east of the Taiwan Island. The China Coast Guard's law enforcement patrols are legitimate, necessary, and brook no interference. Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China and it is the bounden duty of compatriots on both sides to jointly safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. But Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities not only responded passively [to Japan and the Philippines' provocative actions], but also distorted the facts and acted retrogressively. Such behavior, which betrays its roots, is utterly despicable," Chen said.
Compatriots across Taiwan Strait have duty to safeguard national sovereignty, maritime rights: spokesman
China, as Cambodia's most reliable strategic anchor, will continue to firmly support Cambodia in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who is in China for the 11th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
China stands ready to strengthen strategic communication with Cambodia, jointly meet external challenges and better promote each other's modernization drive, Wang said.
Wang called on both sides to make solid preparations for high-level exchanges in the next stage and safeguard the shared strategic interests of both countries, promote the development of the Industrial Development Corridor and the Fish and Rice Corridor and deepen pragmatic cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture and other fields.
Both sides should sustain a tough crackdown on telecom and online fraud and ensure such crimes never stage a comeback, Wang stressed, calling on both sides to step up coordination on multilateral platforms.
Prak Sokhonn said he appreciates China's invitation for the Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers to hold an informal tea talk, which embodies China's constructive position of settling dispute through peace and dialogue.
Hailing China's important role in the LMC, Prak Sokhonn said China is Cambodia's most trusted partner, adding that Cambodia reaffirms its commitment to the one-China principle, supports China's great cause of peaceful national reunification, and opposes "Taiwan independence" in any form.
Cambodia is willing to work with China to deliver on the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen alignment of development strategies between the two sides, keep up the crackdown on online gambling and telecom fraud crimes, and continuously elevate bilateral law enforcement and security cooperation, Prak Sokhonn said.
China backs Cambodia on development path suited to its national conditions: top diplomat
China backs Cambodia on development path suited to its national conditions: top diplomat
