China harbors no imminent plans of creating an Air Defense Identification Zone over the South China Sea, the foreign ministry announced in a press release quoted by the state-owned news agency Xinhua.
Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun previously claimed that Chinese officials have finalized a draft plan for a prospective Air Defense Identification Zone to be set up over the disputed sea.
According to Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei, the reports are baseless rumors being spread by “right-wing forces” in Japan.
“We sternly warned these forces not to mislead public opinions with rumors and play up tensions for their own selfish benefits,” he said.
More Must-Read Stories From TIME
- Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Her Fight for Abortion Access in Michigan
- Inside the War on Fake Consumer Reviews
- Column: Europe's Refugee Crisis Is Going to Get Worse
- How Lawmakers Are Trying to Protect Abortion Data Privacy
- The Surprising Thing That Could Help Ease Inflation
- Finding the American Dream in Canada
- The Safest Sunscreens to Buy—and Which Ingredients to Avoid
- Fact-Checking 8 Claims About Crypto’s Climate Impact
- How Grief Upsets Your Gut Health
- Who Could Replace Boris Johnson As U.K. Prime Minister?
Read More From TIME