Chinese coast guard ships were spotted near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea for the 216th consecutive day, the Japan Coast Guard said Sunday, marking the longest streak since Japan placed the islets under state control in 2012.
The uninhabited islets, which China claims and calls Diaoyu, have remained a source of friction between the Asian neighbors.
The Japanese coast guard said four Chinese coast guard ships equipped with autocannons were confirmed to have sailed in the contiguous zone outside Japan's territorial waters.
The ships were warned by the Japan Coast Guard not to approach the country's territorial waters.
The Chinese vessels have been sailing in the area since Nov. 19, 2024.
© KYODO
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isabelle
Typical provocation from our tiresome, totalitarian neighbors.
Let's see the usual suspects try to dismiss it as "innocent passage," or "an inalienable part of China's territorial integrity since ancient times with Chinese characteristics and common prosperity and new productive forces in win-win cooperation."
Or whatever their masters command them to call it this week.
JJE
Contiguous waters are international waters.
Do you agree?
deanzaZZR
This non story brought to you by a three letter USA agency.
isabelle
No, I don't.
They differ from international waters (beyond 24 nautical miles), as states can exercise some control over them (though not as much as territorial waters).
And, in any case, what China does is not "innocent passage," but "loitering," which is not allowed. Plus, its ships/aircraft have entered Japanese territorial waters/airspace before, even as recently as last month.
So, I stand by my assessment.
JJE
Contiguous waters are international waters. It's as simple as that.
deanzaZZR
Assessment dismissed ...