BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday firmly opposed the affirmation made by U.S. and Japanese leaders that the U.S.-Japan security treaty covered China's Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.
"China expressed grave concern at and firm opposition to the statements [concerning the Diaoyu islands] made by Japan and the United States," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a daily press briefing. "We firmly oppose that Japan asked for the endorsement of the United States on its illegal territorial claim in the name of the U.S.-Japan security treaty."
A joint U.S.-Japan statement issued over the weekend after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. affirmed that Article 5 of the U.S.-Japan security treaty covered the Diaoyu islands.
"Diaoyu island and its affiliated islets are China's inherent territory. No matter what anyone says or does, the fact that the Diaoyu islands belong to China cannot be changed," Geng said.
"China will never waver in its determination and will to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.
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