China News Service, Beijing, March 30 (Reporter Liang Xiaohui and Li Jingze) Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin hosted a regular press conference on March 30.
A reporter asked: According to reports, Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology approved a batch of high school textbooks on the 29th, downplaying and distorting the historical facts of Japan's forced recruitment of "comfort women" and forced labor, and promoting Japan's unilateral claims on the Diaoyu Islands.
What is China's comment?
Wang Wenbin: The forced recruitment of "comfort women" and forced labor is a serious crime against humanity committed by Japanese militarism during its foreign aggression and expansion.
This is an internationally recognized historical fact, which cannot be tampered with.
Playing word games, obscuring historical facts, and downplaying and evading historical guilt by playing with words in the examination of textbooks is a common trick used by Japan to deny and distort its history of aggression.
The Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed to this, and has lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side.
We solemnly urge the Japanese side to face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, draw a clear line from militarism, and properly handle issues left over from history in a responsible manner, so as not to further lose its trust in its Asian neighbors and the international community.
What I want to stress is that the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times, and China has indisputable sovereignty over them.
No matter what the Japanese side does in textbooks, it will not change the fact that the Diaoyu Islands belong to China.
Any attempt to undermine China's territorial sovereignty is futile.
(over)