Open debate of the Security Council in connection with "The safety and protection of waterways in the maritime domain" under the agenda item "Maintenance of international peace and security".
🇬🇷 Greece, 🇯🇵 Japan, 🇨🇳 China
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh Grace would like to make the following point regarding the statement made earlier by the representative of Turkey. The Montre Convention of nineteen thirty six is the only international legal document regulating navigation through the Straits of Terdanelles, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus, and guaranteeing the freedom of navigation through them. Thus, respect of the terminology of the Montre Convention. Aims at preserving and confirming this freedom enshrined therein. The use of the term Turkish Straits is not consistent with the Montre Convention of 1936 regarding the regime of the Straits. The terminology in accordance with the Montre Convention is the Straits, and namely Straits of Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosphorus. I thank you. Yeah.
Thank you, Mr. President. China has made unfounded statements we have no choice but to refute them on the basis of well-known facts. With regard to the East China Sea, despite agreements between Japan and China, China's continued unilateral exploitation of resource and marine research increase infringing upon Japan's rights. Furthermore, since 2008, China continues to dispatch government vessels into Japanese territory waters. These unilateral attempts change the status quo. And escalation of tensions are the true nature of what China calls stability in the East China Sea. With regard to the South China Sea, I'd like to point out that Arbitral Tribunal's Award in 2016 found that rapid run reclamation of maritime features which China carried out, while arbitration proceedings were underway from 2013, violated obligation to settle disputes by peaceful means. Under Article 279 of Bangladesh. However, militarization of the disputed features by China in the South China Sea continued. The award is final and legally binding on the parties to the dispute. The claim made by China that it will not accept the award is also against the principle of peace settlement of disputes, consistent with international law, as reflected in Angular. China has continuously increased its defense budget at a high level with a lack of transparency. 27-fold over the past 30 years. Also, China has unilaterally expanded its arsenal, including ballistic missiles. And furthermore, it exports arms at a rate more than 400 times that of Japan. We are also concerned about rapid and significant increase of nuclear arsenals in a non transparent manner. Japan's fundamental defense policy is the posture passive defense strategy. Which is exclusively exc exclusively defense-oriented. Therefore, China is in no position to criticize Japan for militarism. With remorse for its past, Japan has firmly upheld the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and champions the rule of law. Japan accepts peaceful settlements based on international law under the Statute of the International Court of Justice and Ancus, and opposes the unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. Japan will continue its path as a peace loving nation, a path it has followed since the end of World War II. Japan's consistent contributions to international peace and stability are widely recognized, and Japan will continue such contributions as a responsible member of the international community. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are extremely important for the stability of the entire international community. Japan expects that issues concerning Taiwan will be resolved peacefully through dialogue. With regard to China's unfounded criticism, Japan's position is already stated in our PR's letters to the SG last year. As I will not repeat it. I thank you.
Just then the President of Japan leveled basely its accusations against China. China rejects those accusations. The representative of Japan has resorted to sophistry in an attempt to burnish its long discredited image as a so-called peace-loving nation. When it comes to Japan, we cannot take its words at face value. We must judge it by its actions. The recent spate of dangerous moves by Japan in the military and security domains defy its self-c self-proclaimed dedication to peace and adherence to an exclusively defense or in policy. Japan's accelerated re-militarization is a fact and a reality with an actual roadmap and steps taken. Japan must do serious soul searching. Will it continue to allow the spectral of militarism to spread, distort historical facts, and whitewash its crime of aggression, or will it sincerely reflect on its crime, adopt the correct view of history, and truly earn the trust of Asian neighbors and the international community? Amnesia of history means betrayal and denial of responsibility spells relapse. Such a country is simply not qualified to seek permanent membership of the UN Security Council. China calls on the international community to remain highly vigilant against Japan's historical revisionism tactics, jointly curb Japan's new militarist tendencies, and work together to safeguard regional and global peace and stability. In closing, I would like to v advise Japan that the country should adhere to the One China policy principle uh one China pr uh policy and do not play and refrain from playing fine on the question of Taiwan. Thank you, President.
Thank you, Mr. President. While we refrain from engaging in discussions unrelated to the issue of maritime security, the points that I previously stated are objective facts. Japan has consistently maintained its past as a peace loving nation since the end of World War II, upholding freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. In addition to UN peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance, as well as developmental cooperation and capacity building support, we have contributed to the peace and stability in the Indo Pacific region and the international community. Therefore, the allegations are entirely unfounded. Thank you, Mr. President.
I give them the floor for the last time. Thank you, President. In his previous statement, the President of Japan claimed that the country is committed to safeguarding navigation safety and stressed the importance of maintaining maritime legal order. However, Japanese Prime Minister Sanai Takaichi recently indicated in her open remarks that Japan needs to learn the lesson from the situation of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the Middle East, adopt to new forms of warfare, and prepare for a protracted war through inter alia strengthening its maritime defense capabilities. Many people with insights suggest that the recent rhetoric of certain Japanese political figures sounds rather like war mobilization and war propaganda. Decades ago, Japan launched wars of aggression against other countries. This same country is now hyping up the so called situation of tensions. I wonder whether the Japanese representative wishes to clarify whether their country is poised to repeat its past crimes. The Chinese people, nation that suffered from Japanese aggression in the past, as well as all peace loving people who stand for justice all over the world will never allow it. Thank you, President. Yeah.
I give them the floor for the last time. Thank you, Mr. President. It is unproductive to make such unsubstantiated discussion unrelated to maritime security agenda, which is a very important agenda. our position. But I would like to make it clear that we cannot accept the uncommon statement made by Chinese delegation. Thank you.
Verbatim from the transcript. A reply is identified from its own words, the Chair's grant, or its place in the right-of-reply sequence; delegations and addressees follow the transcript's attribution.