Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning

China firmly urges Japan to conscientiously and fully fulfill its duties and obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the bilateral memorandum between the two governments, to promptly provide actionable intelligence on burial sites, accelerate the disposal of the chemical weapons it abandoned in China, and thoroughly eliminate the scourge of these weapons at the earliest possible date, so as to restore a clean and unpolluted homeland to the Chinese people, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday, in response to a question about an update on the progress of Japan's disposal work on Chinese territory and China's concerns.

Mao made the remarks on Thursday, which coincided with the 27th anniversary of the signing of the MoU between the governments of the People's Republic of China and Japan on the destruction of the chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in China.

Under the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the requirements of the bilateral MoU, Japan was obligated to complete the destruction by 2007. Yet, owing to its insufficient commitment and inadequate input in fulfilling its obligations, the destruction plan has already missed its deadline on four separate occasions. The disposal process has fallen gravely behind schedule, resulting in the persistent safety hazards posed by the Japanese abandoned chemical weapons, Mao said.

Japan's abandoned chemical weapons left in China stand as one of the grave crimes perpetrated by Japanese militarism during its war of aggression against China, said Mao, adding that these weapons continue to imperil the safety of the Chinese people's lives and property as well as ecological security to this day. 

The complete elimination of Japan's abandoned chemical weapons constitutes an inescapable historical, political and legal responsibility for Japan, Mao said.


Global Times