China’s Outrage: U.S., Japan, and South Korea Accused of Targeting Beijing

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressing China’s stance on the U.S.-Japan-South Korea talks./Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

China recently strongly objected to the first Indo-Pacific Dialogue held by the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, calling it “interference in internal affairs and targeting China.”

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a regular briefing on the 8th in response to a journalist’s question about the U.S.-Japan-South Korea Indo-Pacific Dialogue, “China is paying attention to the joint statement of the U.S.-Japan-South Korea dialogue. We express serious concern about the unfair content related to China.” She added, “We strongly oppose the relevant countries creating exclusive small fences under the excuse of cooperation, interfering roughly in China’s internal affairs, targeting China, and inciting confrontation and opposition.”

She asserted that the situation in the South China Sea remains generally stable, with China committed to safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. This is achieved through dialogues with concerned parties to address differing views. She criticized certain countries outside the region, accusing them of undermining peace and stability by flaunting their military might and fostering confrontation in the South China Sea. Although she did not specify any particular country, it seems likely that his remarks targeted the recent joint patrol conducted by the U.S. and the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea.

Also, Mao Ning strongly insisted on the Taiwan issue, “Taiwan is part of China’s territory” and “The Taiwan issue is China’s internal affair. We do not tolerate any interference from external forces.” Further, “Asia and the Pacific are not a chessboard where major powers play games, but regions of peace and development,” she emphasized. “We urge the relevant countries to respect the efforts of regional countries to maintain peace and stability, abandon Cold War thinking, and stop the tension of factional confrontation that intensifies the regional situation,” she added.

Earlier, the Global Times, an English-language newspaper under the People’s Daily, the organ of the party, also fiercely criticized the “collective attempt to hinder China’s development” when reporting the news that the U.S., Japan, and South Korea emphasized peace in the Taiwan Strait in the Indo-Pacific Dialogue. In particular, the newspaper unfolded the argument that the Indo-Pacific Dialogue shows that South Korea and Japan were asked to play the role of pawns on the chessboard in the U.S. strategy to regard China as a common enemy, by quoting domestic international relations experts.

According to the Global Times, the three countries, the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, held the first Indo-Pacific Dialogue in Washington DC on the 5th (local time) and reaffirmed their will to collectively respond to significant threats in the Indo-Pacific, such as North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats and China’s disregard for international law in the South China Sea. At the same time, they also clearly stated that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential for the security and prosperity of the international community.

By. Soon Do Hong