MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. Beijing, like Moscow, is ready to defend the results of World War II in what concerns Japan, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said in an article for TASS.
"As the major victorious nations in World War II, China and Russia hold very similar positions on issues related to Japan," he noted.
"Beijing and Moscow think it essential to firmly defend the results of the Victory in World War II, won at the cost of lives and blood, and to resolutely oppose any erroneous actions or statements aimed at rewriting the history of Japanese colonial aggression," he stressed.
According to the Chinese diplomat, his country and Russia have reached a consensus on issues regarding Japan.
Russia and Japan have been negotiating a post-World War II peace treaty since the mid-20th century. The main stumbling block is the issue of who owns the South Kuril Islands. After the end of World War II, all Kuril Islands were incorporated into the Soviet Union. However, Japan claimed the Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan islands and a number of uninhabited islands of the Lesser Kuril Ridge called the Habomai Islands in Japan as its own.
In 1956, the Soviet Union and Japan signed a joint declaration on ceasing the state of war. The two countries resumed diplomatic and other relations but have still not signed a peace treaty.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly said that Russia’s sovereignty over the Kuril Islands is not up for debate as international agreements stipulate that they belong to Russia.