China Rejects Japan’s Bid for Permanent UN Security Council Seat

(MENAFN) China has reaffirmed its opposition to Japan’s attempt to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, claiming the country represents “new threats” to regional stability and is “totally” unqualified, according to reports.

Speaking at a UN General Assembly session on Friday addressing equitable representation and potential Security Council expansion, China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong declared that Japan is unsuitable for a permanent seat, as stated by reports.

Fu criticized Japan for “persistently refus[ing] to reflect on its wartime crimes of aggression, openly trampled on the postwar international order, and interfered in the sovereignty of other countries, thereby posing new threats to regional peace and stability.”

He insisted that such a nation is “totally unqualified” for a permanent Security Council position.

Japan, which supports reforms to the council, has yet to respond to China’s allegations.

Bilateral tensions between Beijing and Tokyo have heightened since last November, when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi remarked that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could legally constitute a “survival-threatening situation,” potentially allowing Japan to invoke the right of collective self-defense—comments that drew a strong reaction from China.

Fu also outlined three “key” principles for Security Council reform. First, he stressed that the council must not become a “club” dominated by major powers, and that reforms should not benefit only a handful of countries.

Second, he stated that reforms should “genuinely” increase the representation and influence of developing nations, allowing more small and medium-sized countries with independent foreign policies to gain entry. He emphasized that historical injustices suffered by Africa should be addressed, with priority and special arrangements made to satisfy Africa’s legitimate claims.

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