China again urges Japan to destroy the abandoned chemical weapons

China has once again urged Japan to destroy the abandoned chemical weapons thoroughly in a clean manner and at an early date, said a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense.

Senior Colonel Jiang Bin said on Friday that during the war of aggression against China, Japanese troops used large amounts of chemical weapons in blatant violation of international law, causing more than 200,000 Chinese military and civilian casualties.

"To cover up its crime after being defeated, Japan abandoned a large number of chemical weapons on Chinese territory, poisoning over 2,000 people. Until now, the chemical weapons still gravely jeopardize the safety of people's lives and property and harm the environment.

"Japan should have destroyed the abandoned chemical weapons in China in a secure, clean and thorough way much earlier. Yet the overall disposal process has been severely delayed due to the lack of proactive efforts from the Japanese side. Eliminating the chemical hazards is Japan's unshirkable historical, political and legal responsibility, and also an international obligation under the Chemical Weapons Convention," the spokesman said.

The Chinese side urges the Japanese side to seriously reflect on its crime of aggression, earnestly fulfill its responsibilities and obligations, increase input in various aspects, and make all-out efforts to expedite the disposal process, according to him.

"We request the Japanese side to spare no effort to collect and provide information about the chemical weapons promptly, fully assist us in search and identification, earnestly shoulder its responsibility in the treatment of polluted water and soil to restore a safe and clean environment to the Chinese people at an early date, and promise 'a world free of chemical weapons' for humanity," Jiang said.