China Criticizes Japan's Smear Campaign amid Quad Talks

China has voiced its strong dissatisfaction to Japan over what it terms as 'smear attacks' during high-level meetings with the US, India, and Australia. The Foreign Ministry's Liu Jinsong conveyed serious concerns to Japan's Akira Yokochi, asserting contradictions in Japan's stance on China's strategic relationship.

China has issued a sharp rebuke to Japan regarding what it calls 'smear attacks' made during recent high-level discussions with the United States, India, and Australia, according to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

In a meeting with Akira Yokochi, the deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy, Liu Jinsong, the director general of the Asian affairs department, conveyed China's 'serious concern and solemn representations' about the matter.

"Liu emphasized that Japan's negative comments on China contradict its avowed promotion of a strategic and reciprocal relationship between the two nations," the ministry's statement declared.

Following Japan's foreign and defense ministers' '2+2' talks with U.S. counterparts, which resulted in a joint statement assailing China's foreign policy, China registered its opposition. The Quad nations' foreign ministers met next, not mentioning China by name but denouncing militarization and coercive actions in the South China Sea.

China continues to lament deepening US alliances against its growing influence, a notable focus of President Joe Biden's administration. The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged Japan to cease making 'irresponsible remarks' about China's internal affairs and to disengage from forming antagonistic 'small circles' with certain countries.

(With inputs from agencies.)