[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] On the 15th, China strongly condemned the Japanese government's decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant and urged that neighboring countries be allowed to verify the discharge plan.
According to Global Times and others, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular briefing that South Korea and China held the 1st Korea-China Marine Cooperation Dialogue the previous day, reaffirming their opposition to Japan's contaminated water discharge decision and reviewing various response measures.
Spokesperson Zhao said, "If some Japanese politicians want to prove that the contaminated water is clean, they should drink the contaminated water, cook rice, do laundry, or farm with it." He added, "It must be guaranteed that the contaminated water does not pollute seafood, and the discharge plan should be verified together with neighboring countries such as South Korea, accepting the recommendation of the International Atomic Energy Agency."
He also strongly criticized Japan's decision, saying that the international community bears the risk burden. He said, "Japan has ignored the safety interests of Asia and only looked after its own interests," and "South Korea and China express strong dissatisfaction with Japan's irresponsible actions for the health of their own citizens and the protection of the international marine environment."
Furthermore, he emphasized, "South Korea and China urge Japan to fully consult with international organizations and neighboring countries on this issue," and "It is the common position of South Korea and China that Japan should handle the contaminated water issue carefully."
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