Japan making mischief on South China Sea issue: Chinese FM

It was Japan, not China, which changed the current situation in the East China Sea, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said in response to Japanese media reports that Japan, together with the US, will propose putting in the final joint declaration at the G7 summit that: "China tries to change the current situation of the South and East China seas".

Japan will also call for China to restrain itself to avoid hindering regional stability at the conference, in Brussels on June 4 and 5.

This will be the first time China is criticized by name at a G7 summit.

Hong urged Japan to be cautious and correct its mistakes, claiming that the country "stole" the Diaoyu Islands from China more than 100 years ago and attempted to "nationalize" them against the UN Charter, the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation.

Hong said China always advocates negotiating and solving disputes through dialogue and advised Japan not to make mischief and confuse the public.

China's resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the South and East China seas, maritime interests and national security is unshakable, Hong said.