China urges Japan not to interfere in South China Sea issue

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday said that Japan should stop hyping up and interfering in the South China Sea issue and urged that the two countries should properly manage their differences.

Premier Li made the remarks in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in UlanBattar, Mongolia, reports Xinhua.

Prime Minister said that China's stance on the South China Sea issue is completely in line with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

He added that since Tokyo has no direct involvement in the South China Sea issue, it should "exercise caution in its own words and deeds, and stop hyping up and interfering in" the issue.

The Chinese Premier also called on both sides to step up exchanges on the East China Sea issue via dialogue and consultation based on the four-point principled agreement they reached in November 2014, so as to stave off misinterpretation and miscalculation.

On bilateral relations, Prime Minister Li said China-Japan relations have in recent year embarked on a course of improvement, but the pace is slow and is from time to time disturbed by complications.

He urged both sides to keep a strong sense of responsibility, and steadily push ahead China-Japan ties on the basis of the reality and long-term strategic consideration.

On his part, Prime Minister Abe said that despite existing difficulties in the relations between the two countries, the Japanese side hopes to expand exchanges and cooperation with China, properly manage differences, and push forward bilateral ties in pursuit of a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship.