It is reported that during Philippine President's visit to Japan on May 28, the two sides issued a joint statement announcing the official launch of negotiations on the delimitation of their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves.
At the regular press conference on May 29, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning responded to relevant questions. She stated that Japan and the Philippines have unilaterally initiated the so-called maritime boundary delimitation negotiations, which seriously undermine China's maritime rights and interests and run counter to international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as basic norms governing international relations. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this move, and has lodged stern representations with Japan and the Philippines respectively. China urges the two countries to immediately stop all acts that infringe upon China's maritime rights and interests, and take concrete actions to safeguard regional peace and stability.
