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April 10, 2014
WASHINGTON – Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has warned the Philippines and Japan not to test China’s resolve to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, saying the Chinese military can be assembled quickly to fight and win any battle.
The Chinese official raised the warning in a joint press conference in Beijing with US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
Chang said territorial sovereignty was a core Chinese interest on which “we will make no compromise, no concession, no trading.”
“Not even a tiny bit of violation is allowed,” he said.
A transcript of the Tuesday conference was released by the Pentagon in Washington.
For his part, Hagel, who is on a three-day visit to China, said the Philippines and Japan were long-time allies of the United States.
“We have mutual self-defense treaties with each of those two countries and we are fully committed to those treaty obligations,” he said.
Chang accused the Philippines and Japan of stirring up troubles for China. He said the Philippines did its math the wrong way.
Manila earlier submitted a memorial or written pleading to a United Nations tribunal in The Hague on its territorial disputes with Beijing when “the fact is that it is the Philippines who illegally occupy part of China’s islands and reefs in the South China Sea.”
China has made clear on several occasions that it does not accept and will not participate in the international arbitration initiated by the Philippines but stands ready to resolve the issue through bilateral negotiations, Chang said.
On the dispute between China and Japan over islands in the East China Sea, Chang said China has indisputable sovereignty over Diaoyu Islands (called Senkaku by Tokyo), Nansha Islands, and their adjacent waters.
China created an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the East China Sea in November 2013, particularly over an area that includes islands at the heart of a bitter dispute with Japan.
There are fears in Manila and Washington that Beijing, which claims almost all of the South China Sea at the expense of the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, among others, may be poised to also create a similar ADIZ over the South China Sea.
Referring to the ADIZ at the press conference, Hagel said every nation has the right to establish air defense zones, but not unilaterally with no collaboration or consultation.
“That adds to tensions, misunderstandings and could eventually add to and eventually get to dangerous conflict,” he said.
In later remarks at a the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University in Beijing, Hagel said America’s rebalance in the Asia Pacific was a reaffirmation of its long standing bonds of history, commerce and friendship throughout the region.
“That is not – must not be, nor will be – at the exclusion of strengthening our relationship with China,” he said.
Referring specifically to the Philippines and Japan, he said both were long-time allies of the United States.
“We have treaty obligations with those two nations and we will honor our treaty obligations. But make no mistake that disputes need to be resolved peacefully, diplomatically, within the framework of international order based on international law,” he said.
China warns Philippines, Japan: ‘We won’t compromise on territory’

WASHINGTON – Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has warned the Philippines and Japan not to test China’s resolve to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, saying the Chinese military can be assembled quickly to fight and win any battle.
The Chinese official raised the warning in a joint press conference in Beijing with US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
Chang said territorial sovereignty was a core Chinese interest on which “we will make no compromise, no concession, no trading.”
“Not even a tiny bit of violation is allowed,” he said.
A transcript of the Tuesday conference was released by the Pentagon in Washington.
For his part, Hagel, who is on a three-day visit to China, said the Philippines and Japan were long-time allies of the United States.
“We have mutual self-defense treaties with each of those two countries and we are fully committed to those treaty obligations,” he said.
Chang accused the Philippines and Japan of stirring up troubles for China. He said the Philippines did its math the wrong way.
Manila earlier submitted a memorial or written pleading to a United Nations tribunal in The Hague on its territorial disputes with Beijing when “the fact is that it is the Philippines who illegally occupy part of China’s islands and reefs in the South China Sea.”
China has made clear on several occasions that it does not accept and will not participate in the international arbitration initiated by the Philippines but stands ready to resolve the issue through bilateral negotiations, Chang said.
On the dispute between China and Japan over islands in the East China Sea, Chang said China has indisputable sovereignty over Diaoyu Islands (called Senkaku by Tokyo), Nansha Islands, and their adjacent waters.
China created an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the East China Sea in November 2013, particularly over an area that includes islands at the heart of a bitter dispute with Japan.
There are fears in Manila and Washington that Beijing, which claims almost all of the South China Sea at the expense of the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, among others, may be poised to also create a similar ADIZ over the South China Sea.
Referring to the ADIZ at the press conference, Hagel said every nation has the right to establish air defense zones, but not unilaterally with no collaboration or consultation.
“That adds to tensions, misunderstandings and could eventually add to and eventually get to dangerous conflict,” he said.
In later remarks at a the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University in Beijing, Hagel said America’s rebalance in the Asia Pacific was a reaffirmation of its long standing bonds of history, commerce and friendship throughout the region.
“That is not – must not be, nor will be – at the exclusion of strengthening our relationship with China,” he said.
Referring specifically to the Philippines and Japan, he said both were long-time allies of the United States.
“We have treaty obligations with those two nations and we will honor our treaty obligations. But make no mistake that disputes need to be resolved peacefully, diplomatically, within the framework of international order based on international law,” he said.
China warns Philippines, Japan: ‘We won’t compromise on territory’