Thread: Japan protests presence of Chinese military ship in waters near disputed islands

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan on Thursday protested to China after a Chinese military vessel was detected in waters near disputed islands in the East China Sea, calling on China to avoid actions that could interfere with improving bilateral ties.

The Chinese frigate was seen in waters contiguous to Japan’s territory around the islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, the Defence Ministry said. It did not enter Japanese territorial waters.


A foreign submarine was also detected in the same area on Wednesday as well as on Thursday, it added, without identifying the nationality. Both had left the area by Thursday afternoon.


The Chinese frigate was seen in waters contiguous to Japan’s territory around the islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, the Defence Ministry said. It did not enter Japanese territorial waters.


A foreign submarine was also detected in the same area on Wednesday as well as on Thursday, it added, without identifying the nationality. Both had left the area by Thursday afternoon.



Japan and China have long been at loggerheads over the tiny, uninhabited islands. They are controlled by Japan but claimed also by China.


“We want to strongly urge China not to do anything to interfere with improving bilateral ties,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.


Kenji Kanasugi, director-general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, met with Chinese ambassador Cheng Yonghua at the Foreign Ministry to express grave concern about the move, the ministry said in a statement.


The Chinese ambassador responded to the protest by reiterating China’s stance on the islands, the statement added.


China routinely rejects Japanese criticism of such patrols, saying its ships have every right to operate in what China calls its territorial waters.



China’s defense ministry said in an online statement that a Chinese missile frigate had responded to two Japanese ships entering its claimed waters but that the ships had now left.


China firmly opposes and is strongly dissatisfied with Japan’s actions, which had hyped up China’s actions and “mixed up right and wrong”, the statement said

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-j...-idUSKBN1F00R8

Beijing calls mission in Diaoyu Islands valid

China said a naval mission in its own territorial waters is beyond reproach and justifiable after Japan lodged a protest about a Chinese frigate entering waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands on Thursday.


Japan's behavior will not change the fact that the Diaoyu Islands and affiliated islands belong to China, and it can hardly shake the firmness and determination of China in safeguarding its territorial sovereignty, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular news conference on Thursday.


The Defense Ministry issued a statement saying two Japan Coast Guard vessels entered the northeast contiguous zone of Chiwei Islet, which is a part of the Diaoyu Islands.


Chinese guided-missile frigate Yiyang immediately entered the area to conduct thorough tracking and surveillance of the activities of Japanese forces, and the Japanese vessels have left the area, the statement said.


Japan is well aware of the situation but reversed the truth and hyped the Chinese military's legitimate rights, the statement said, expressing strong dissatisfaction and opposition.


The Chinese military will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the territorial sovereignty and security interests of the country, according to the statement.


Japanese Vice-Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama summoned Chinese Ambassador Cheng Yonghua on Thursday to voice Tokyo's concerns and strongly requested China not to interfere with the flow of improving Japan-China relations, according to AFP.


China urges Japan to stop using the issue to make trouble and take practical actions to improve bilateral relations, Lu said.


China considers its relations with Japan to be important, he said. "We noticed the positive signals from Japan and their high-level officials to improve the relations between the two countries," Lu said.


Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said last week that he wanted 2018 to be the year in which people in Japan and China recognize "great improvement" in the nations' ties, according to Xinhua.


China hopes Japan will match its words with deeds, work for the same goal with China on the basis of the consensus and spirit of the four-point principled agreement and take practical actions to improve relations, Lu said.

Beijing calls mission in Diaoyu Islands valid - Chinadaily.com.cn

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said last week that he wanted 2018 to be the year in which people in Japan and China recognize "great improvement" in the nations' ties, according to Xinhua.

^

Not to worry Shinzo. A divine wind on the way. Bye, bye frigate.