Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated on Wednesday that Japan's overall destruction process of the chemical weapons abandoned in China during Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggresssion is generally seriously lagging behind schedule, urging Japan to increase inputs in all respects to speed up the full chain of the disposal of the abandoned chemical weapons (ACWs).

When asked for an update on the destruction of the chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at Wednesday's press conference that Japan's ACWs in China mark one of the gravest crimes that Japanese militarists committed during the war of aggression against China. 

Guo said that China has been urging Japan to destroy them completely and thoroughly at an early date in strict accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two countries' governments. To date, Japan has excavated and retrieved over 160,000 ACWs and destroyed nearly 130,000. However, the destruction process is generally seriously lagging behind schedule, Guo said.

"This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Today marks the 26th anniversary of the signing of the MOU between the governments of China and Japan on the destruction of the chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in China," Guo said, noting that "Even today, the ACWs still pose a serious threat to the safety of the life and property of the Chinese people and the ecological environment." 

Japan has unshirkable responsibility on historical issues. China urges Japan to take seriously the concerns of China and the international community, deeply reflect on its history of aggression, honor its commitment, increase inputs in all respects, do everything possible to speed up the full chain of the disposal of the ACWs, so that the day will come sooner when the Chinese people no longer have to live on soil tainted by ACWs, and when justice is restored to the international community, Guo said.

On July 30 in 1999, the two countries signed the MOU on the destruction of the chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in China, reaching a consensus that the Japanese government would provide all necessary funds, technology, experts, facilities, and other resources for the destruction of abandoned chemical weapons, according to the ministry

Global Times