China on Saturday voiced opposition to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to raise South China Sea issues in his talks with Premier Li Keqiang.
"I wonder what Japan has to do with the South China Sea," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters in Seoul, a day ahead of the two leaders' meeting.
Earlier this week, Japanese government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Abe will express concerns over China's rapid island-building activities in the disputed sea when he holds his first talks with Li on Sunday.
Abe will say that the activities are "unilateral attempts to change the status quo" and will urge China to respect freedom of navigation and international rules, according to the officials.
Abe's meeting with Li in Seoul will take place on the sidelines of a trilateral summit also involving South Korea.
It comes as tensions in the South China Sea have been renewed, following the recent passage of a U.S. guided-missile destroyer through Beijing-claimed waters.
Seeing that China's massive reclamation work is continuing, despite regional opposition, the U.S. Navy's warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of one of Beijing's man-made islands in the Spratly archipelago.
The dispatch of the USS Lassen to the area triggered a sharp reaction from China.
China has repeatedly said disputes with smaller Asian claimants, including the Philippines and Vietnam, should be dealt with by themselves, urging outsiders, including Japan and the United States, to stay out.
China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, which is also believed to be potentially rich in oil and gas resources.
