Recent statement by the President of the Republic of Korea Yoon The report of the Chinese side spying on the American aircraft carrier in the South Korean port of Busan greatly surprised the Chinese authorities, who expressed extreme dissatisfaction with this. Such a statement was made at a briefing by the official representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, TASS reports.
"The Chinese side is deeply surprised and expresses dissatisfaction with the relevant statement," the diplomat said.
According to her, Beijing does not interfere in the internal affairs of the Republic of Korea and is strongly opposed to Seoul linking its problems with China and groundlessly speculating on the topic of so-called Chinese spies. Mao Ning added that by such behavior the South Korean authorities "discredit normal trade and economic cooperation between the two countries."
"This does not contribute to the healthy and stable development of Sino-South Korean relations. The Chinese government has consistently urged Chinese citizens abroad to comply with local laws and regulations," the diplomat further said.
She noted that "no conclusions have been made yet" on the issue in question, and the relevant departments of the two states maintain contacts on this matter.
"China once again calls on the Republic of Korea to deal fairly with the case concerning Chinese citizens, inform the PRC in a timely manner about the process of considering this case, and effectively ensure their safety, legitimate rights and interests," Mao Ning concluded.
Earlier, South Korean President Yun Sok El said that in June, Chinese citizens were detained in his country who tried to take pictures of an American aircraft carrier using drones in the port of Busan. According to the president, the detainees were found to have photographs of South Korean military facilities taken over the past few years.