China has lodged solemn representations to both U.S. and Japan over comments on China in a recent joint declaration, said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, adding that China strongly opposes such severe violation of its internal affairs.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met their Japanese counterparts on Tuesday in Tokyo in the first overseas visit by top members of President Joe Biden's cabinet. After the meeting, the four officials issued a joint document, singling China out as a challenge to the U.S. and its allies when it comes to the international order.

In response, Zhao noted the U.S. and Japan are not qualified to unilaterally define international relations, much less to impose their standards on others.

"There is only one system in the world, and that is the international system with the United Nations at its core, and there is only one set of rules, and that is the basic norms of international relations based on the UN Charter," said Zhao on Wednesday.

He pointed out that China has always been an important force in maintaining world peace and promoting common development, with established partnerships with 112 countries and international organizations, participated in more than 100 intergovernmental international organizations, signed more than 500 multilateral treaties, and dispatched the largest number of peacekeeping troops among the permanent members of the Security Council.

The United States tends to adopt double standards and selectively apply international law, the spokesperson said. "In nearly 250 years since the founding of the U.S., there was only 16 years without a war. With hundreds of U.S. military bases worldwide, who is the greatest threat to world peace and security? The international community has its fair judgment."

The spokesperson reiterated that China's positions on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and the Diaoyu Islands, as well as the South China Sea issue are consistent and clear.

The U.S. mainland is more than 8,300 miles away from the South China Sea, yet the U.S. dispatches advanced warships, fighter jets, and reconnaissance aircraft in the South China Sea frequently to project power and engage in military provocations, Zhao said. 

He stressed that the U.S.-Japanese joint statement ignores the historical merits of the issue and disregards the facts and the truth. "It is just another proof of U.S. and Japan being tarred with the same brush to interfere in China's internal affairs and a bad example of smearing and discrediting China."

Zhao also noted that U.S. and Japan entrenched Cold War mentality, deliberately engaged in a group confrontation, and attempted to create an anti-China encirclement, which is completely against the trend of times.

"The U.S. and Japan's move will only bring chaos and even conflict to the region, only to let the world see more and more clearly the true nature of the U.S.-Japan alliance to disrupt regional peace and stability."

Saying Japan was OK with being a subordinate of the U.S. to satisfy its selfish desire to deter China's rise and revival, Zhao added that Japan undermined Sino-Japanese relations and betrayed the overall interests of the region.

"We strongly urge the U.S. and Japan to stop interfering in China's internal affairs immediately, stop forming coterie against China, and immediately stop undermining the overall situation of regional peace and stability," Zhao said, adding that China will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend its sovereignty, security and development interests. 

(Cover: File photo of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian. /Chinese Foreign Ministry)