Three Chinese coast guard ships sailed through disputed waters off Tokyo-controlled islands in the East China Sea Sunday, the latest such incident in a bitter territorial row between the Asian giants.
The Chinese vessels entered the 12-nautical-mile territorial waters off one of the Senkakus, which China claims and calls the Diaoyus, at around 9 a.m. and left the area around two hours later, the Japan Coast Guard said.
It was the fifth time this year that state-owned Chinese ships entered the zone and the first in six days.
Chinese vessels and aircraft have regularly approached the East China Sea archipelago -- thought to harbor vast natural resources -- after Japan nationalised some of the islands in September 2012, setting off the latest round in a long-running territorial dispute.
Fears of conflict rose in November when China imposed an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the East China Sea and said it required notification from planes crossing the area.
Washington was angered by the move, saying it could lead to confusion high in the skies.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Beijing against unilateral moves to set up a similar air defense zone over the South China Sea, where the Philippines in particular has voiced worries about China's maritime claims.
Earlier this month, the top U.S. diplomat said the United States would defend Japan against attack including over the disputed islands in the East China Sea.
© (c) 2014 AFP
8 Comments
Login to comment
nath
Boring but is going to lead to shooting one day. One example of why... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10653183/China-training-for-short-sharp-war-against-Japan.html
Abhorsenaube
I seriously hope things deescilate before it comes to physical conflict.
sighclops
When will these cat-and-mouse antics end?!
nath
Send them an invoice for entry violations!
oldman_13
these cat and mouse tactics will end once Chinese government and nationailsts grows up and acts like an adult
HonestBloke
If Japan would just return those lousy little islands back to Taiwan, all problems would be instantly solved. For Japan, they are nothing but a liability now anyway.
SecularBeast
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
HonestBloke
I bet if I kick the back of your chair once you won't get mad. Two or three times you might get annoyed. But the tenth time you might just take a swing at me.
Einstein was probably talking physics rather than political and social interaction.