Chinese ambassador refutes Japan's accusation on gas platforms

Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua on Thursday slammed Japan's accusation against China's oil and gas exploration in the East China Sea, saying it is groundless since all the platforms Japan disclosed are clearly in waters under China's jurisdiction.

Cheng made the remarks after his speech at Japan's National Press Center.

He said China's oil and gas exploration has been refrained from entering controversial waters with Japan.

The ambassador said China is willing to resolve the issue with the Japanese side and maintain contact with Japan.

Meanwhile, the ambassador reiterated that China welcomes all leaders it invited to participate in the events in September to mark the 70th anniversary of China's victory of the war against the Japanese aggression.

China has invited Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take part in the event but there has been no reply so far from the Japanese side.

Cheng criticized that it is a "dangerous move" for Japan to stir "China threats" so as to pass its controversial security bills, adding that "manipulating China as an imaginary enemy" will only serve as an obstacle for Japan to improve its ties with China.

"China never makes Japan an 'imaginary enemy'," Cheng said.

Cheng also said China hails the pacifism path Japan pursued in the past 70 years since the end of World War II and will never forget Japan's assistance helping China realize its modernization since the reform and opening up policy has been carried out.

He urged Japan to have a correct perception over China's peaceful development and stop provocative moves of denying and whitewashing its wartime history.