China Explains Position to Japan on South China Sea Ruling

Beijing, July 14 (Jiji Press)--China has explained its position to Japan about Tuesday's ruling by an international tribunal that rejected Beijing's claims in the South China Sea, sources familiar with bilateral relations said Thursday. The Chinese side is believed to have expressed strong displeasure with Tokyo's call for Beijing to comply with the ruling in a South China Sea arbitration case brought by the Philippines. The director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Asian affairs department summoned a minister at the Japanese embassy in Beijing to explain the country's position Tuesday evening, the sources said. China has also lodged protests with the United States and Australia after the two countries urged Beijing to accept the ruling. Security has been tightened around the Japanese, U.S. and Philippine embassies in Beijing. The Japanese embassy said that there have been no reports of protest rally against Japan. But it advised Japanese residents and travelers to exercise caution. END