Sound, steady China-Japan relations serve people's interests: spokesman

China

Sound, steady China-Japan relations serve people's interests: spokesman

2024-09-27 16:49 Last Updated At：21:37

The sustained, sound and steady development of China-Japan relations serves the interests of the people of both countries, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular press conference in Beijing on Friday.

Lin made the statement in response to a query about former Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba's winning of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election.

As the LDP-led coalition constitutes a majority in both chambers of the parliament in Japan, the new party president is almost certain to be elected prime minister in the extraordinary Diet session scheduled to be held on Oct. 1, succeeding the incumbent Fumio Kishida.

"We have noted the election results, which are Japan's internal affair, and China has no comment on it. The sustained, sound and steady development of China-Japan relations serves the fundamental interests of the people of both countries and is the only correct choice. We hope the Japanese side will take history as a mirror, stick to the path of peaceful development, and abide by the principles and consensuses set out in the four political documents between China and Japan. We also hope the Japanese side will establish an objective and correct understanding of China, pursue a positive and rational policy toward China, earnestly act on the positioning of advancing strategic and mutually-beneficial relations in a comprehensive way, and work with China in the same direction to promote the sustained, sound and steady development of bilateral relations along the right track," said Lin.

The four documents refer to the China-Japan Joint Statement inked in 1972, the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1978, the China-Japan Joint Declaration of 1998 and a joint statement on advancing strategic and mutually-beneficial relations in a comprehensive way that was signed in 2008.

Lebanese FM condemns Israeli attacks, calls for int'l intervention

2024-09-27 20:04 Last Updated At：21:07

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib stated on Thursday that Israeli attacks are threatening Lebanon's existence and called for urgent international intervention to prevent the situation from escalating.

Bou Habib called for a ceasefire during the General Debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

"Lebanon is currently enduring a crisis which is threatening its very existence. The future of our people and our prosperity are imperiled. This is a situation that requires international intervention on an urgent basis before the situation spirals out of control, with a domino effect, making this crisis impossible to contain," he said.

The foreign minister also condemned a series of recent attacks by Israel on Hezbollah members in Lebanon, including the incidents involving explosions of communication devices such as pagers and walkie-talkies, resulting in numerous casualties, including children and women.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border have escalated since October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack the previous day. Israel retaliated with heavy artillery fire toward southern Lebanon.

The Israel-Hezbollah tensions have grown even worse after the deadly back-to-back attacks targeting Hezbollah members in Lebanon -- with pagers simultaneously exploding across the country on September 17, 2024, then walkie-talkies detonating in a similar fashion the next day. Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the attacks, while Israel has made no response to the charge.

At least 37 people, including children, have been killed in the attacks. Thousands more were injured -- many maimed and in critical condition after communications devices exploded in their pockets or in their face.