China was upset on Monday with the U.S. continued support for Japan's claim to the disputed islands in the East China Sea. The statement affirming the islands are covered by Article 5 of the U.S.- Japan security treaty was given during the meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump in the United States.
According to Reuters, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that China was seriously concerned and resolutely opposed from the joint-statement of Japan and the U.S. The disputed islands are called Diaoyudao (for China) Senkaku (for Japan) had been claimed by China as their inherent territory since ancient times.
China's upset at the disputed islands issue caused Shuang to give a statement of a firm standing during a daily news briefing in Beijing. He said that no matter what anyone says or does, it cannot change the fact that the Diaoyudao Islands belong to China, and cannot shake China's resolve and determination to protect national sovereignty and territory. He further said that the United States and Japan should watch what they say and do and stop making the wrong comments to avoid complicating the issue and affecting regional peace and stability, as reported by Yahoo.
The uninhabited group of disputed Islands located due east of mainland China and northeast of Taiwan is controlled by Japan. In 1968 the potential undersea oil reserve in the area was discovered. In 1971 administrative control was transferred from the United States to Japan. During that time China and Taiwan contested sovereignty over the group of Islands.
China claimed that they discovered and owned the islands since the 14th century. Japan claimed ownership of the islands since 1895. During the end of World War II the islands were surrendered to the United States and in 1972 the control was returned to Japan under Okinawa Reversion Agreement between Japan and United States.
