On August 25, the United Nations General Assembly held a plenary meeting. Cooperation between the UN and the Pacific Islands Forum was discussed. 

On the occasion, Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN said that Japan unilaterally decided to discharge the nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea, disregarded public interests, and passed on the risk of nuclear pollution to the world, which was extremely selfish.

Geng Shuang said that the ocean is the common property of all mankind. Twelve years ago, a serious accident occurred at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, which released a large amount of radioactive materials into the ocean, causing a huge disaster. Twelve years later, in disregard of doubts and opposition from the international community, the Japanese government unilaterally launched the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, causing secondary harm to the local people and even the people of the world.

“It has transnational implications. It’s not a domestic matter of Japan alone. Whatever they argue is not going to change the fact that in the next 30 years, Japan will discharge millions of tons of contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean and it will not change the fact that it’s going to impose enormous risks to the environment, to human health, etc.  And I’d like to call on the Japanese government to address squarely the legitimate concerns of countries concerned and stakeholders and to engage in good faith with the countries and the stakeholders, and address this discharge of contaminated water in a responsible manner,” Geng Shuang said.

Geng also said that China strongly urges Japan to stop its wrongdoing, immediately stop the ocean discharge plan, communicate with neighboring countries with sincerity and good will, dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water in a responsible manner and accept rigorous international oversight.

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