China summoned a senior Japanese diplomat on Tuesday to lodge "solemn representations" regarding Tokyo's recent negative and misleading statements about China, urging it to stop interfering in China's internal affairs.

Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Department of Asian Affairs of Chinese Foreign Ministry, expressed "serious concern and strong dissatisfaction" to Yokochi Akira, chief minister of the Embassy of Japan in China, about the Japanese government's recent comments on China at the Japan-U.S. Foreign and Defense Ministerial (2+2) meeting, the Japan-U.S. ministerial meeting on extended deterrence and the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, as well as other meetings.

Liu condemned Japan's disparaging attacks on China, highlighting their inconsistency with the proclaimed strategic reciprocal relationship between the two nations. He urged Japan to adopt a more objective and rational understanding of China, cease interference in China's internal affairs, and stop collaborating with certain countries to form exclusive cliques and provoke confrontation. Liu called on Japan to work with China to uphold the political foundation of their bilateral relations and to genuinely implement the strategic reciprocal relationship.

In response, Yokochi reaffirmed Japan's adherence to the 1972 Japan-China Joint Statement on the Taiwan issue and expressed Japan's desire to further advance the strategic reciprocal relationship between the two countries.