Ministry of Foreign Affairs: All humanity will have to face the nuclear pollution risk transferred by Japan. London Convention on the Dumping of Nuclear Weapons | United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea | All humanity
On June 29th, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning presided over a regular press conference.
A reporter asked, on the 26th, Pacific Island Forum Secretary General Puna issued a statement stating that Japan's plan to discharge radioactive waste into the Pacific is not only a nuclear safety issue, but also related to the marine environment, fisheries, public health, and the interests of future generations. The daily discharge into the sea has significant cross-border and intergenerational impacts, which may constitute an international precedent for intentional discharge of nuclear waste into the ocean. Other disposal methods should be sought. It is emphasized that international consultations on the daily discharge plan should not be limited to the International Atomic Energy Agency, but should also be conducted through platforms such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the London Dumping Convention. What is China's comment on this?
Mao Ning stated that as a Pacific coastal country, China highly recognizes the concerns of Pacific island countries. The international community has always strongly questioned and opposed the unilateral erroneous decision of the Japanese government to discharge Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the ocean, and is seriously concerned about the impact on the marine environment, human health, and other aspects. However, various signs indicate that the Japanese government is likely to ignore the opposition of the international community and its own people and forcefully initiate the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea in the near future, forcing all humanity to face the nuclear pollution risk transferred by Japan.
Discharging into the sea is by no means the safest and most optimal disposal method, and Japan's choice is entirely based on economic cost considerations. The Japanese discharge into the sea violates the obligations of international law such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to protect and preserve the marine environment, and also violates the provisions of the 1972 London Convention on the Dumping of Radioactive Waste, which prohibits the dumping of radioactive waste into the ocean through artificial structures at sea.
The call of Pacific island countries to further discuss Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea through frameworks such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the London Convention on Dumping deserves high attention from the international community. China once again urges Japan to address the concerns of the international community, fulfill its international legal obligations, cease plans to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea, dispose of nuclear contaminated water in a scientifically safe and transparent manner, and accept strict international supervision.
