China calls for int'l attention to Japan's nuclear contaminated water dumping

GENEVA -- China on Tuesday called for the international community's close attention to Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water, warning that it may cause major problems to the global marine environment, public health, and a wider range of displacement problems.

Speaking at the ongoing 53rd session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, a Chinese diplomat pointed out that the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean is equivalent to transferring the risk of nuclear pollution to all mankind.

The Chinese diplomat told the Council that Japan's actions violated international moral responsibilities and international legal obligations such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention).

"China once again urges Japan to stop the plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, dispose of it in a science-based, safe and transparent manner, and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to put in place a long-term international monitoring mechanism involving Japan's neighbors and other stakeholders as soon as possible," the diplomat noted.