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Alcott Wei

Chinese and Japanese coastguard vessels have been involved in a stand-off near the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.
The two sides gave conflicting accounts of Tuesday’s incident, with the Chinese coastguard saying it had driven a Japanese fishing boat away from the islands, which are known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan.
Liu Dejun, a spokesman for the coastguard, said the Chinese vessels took “necessary control measures” and issued warnings to the boat.
“The Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islets are inherent Chinese territory. We urge Japan to immediately cease all infringements and provocative activities in these waters,” Liu said.
He added that the coastguard would continue to patrol around these islands to safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.
However, the Japanese coastguard said it had intercepted and driven away two Chinese coastguard vessels that approached a fishing boat.
The latest stand-off came amid heightened tension between the two sides following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments last month that the use of military force in the Taiwan Strait could be considered a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, which may warrant the deployment of its armed forces.
Beijing has repeatedly protested against Takaichi’s comments, but she has refused to retract them.
In response, mainland China has halted Japanese seafood imports, advised citizens not to travel or study in Japan, and cut intergovernmental and cultural exchanges.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China and has never renounced the use of force to reunite it with the mainland.
Japan, in common with most countries, does not recognise Taiwan as independent but opposes any attempt to take the island by force.
The Diaoyus, comprising five uninhabited islets and three reefs, are under effective Japanese control, but China’s rival claim makes the islands one of the main flashpoints between the two countries.
The island group is around 170km (105 miles) east of Taiwan and 410km west of Okinawa, and the surrounding waters are believed to contain valuable resources, such as fish, oil and natural gas.


The Chinese coastguard has mounted regular patrols in the area over the past decade and there have been regular confrontations between the two sides.
China’s latest “rights-protection patrol” involved four vessels and started on November 17.
In June, Japan said it had observed Chinese vessels operating near the disputed islands for a record 216 consecutive days.
Last year, ships entered the area for 215 days in a row, with a total of 350 voyages being made around the islands.
Tuesday’s incident was not the first time that the Japanese fishing vessel, the Zuiho Maru, has been involved in a stand-off with Chinese ships near the Diaoyu Islands.
In July, the Chinese coastguard said it had also driven the ship away from the area.


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China-Japan relations

Chinese and Japanese coastguard ships in fresh confrontation near disputed Diaoyu Islands

The uninhabited islands are the scene of regular confrontations. Photo: Kyodo

For Chinese in Japan, life goes on – but with an eye on public sentiment

Experts and Chinese on the ground in Japan say China-Japan tension has not reached the heights of 2012 when the two countries were in a row over the Diaoyu Islands. Photo: AP

China bristles as Japan weighs missile export to Philippines

The Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile, the same model Japan plans to deploy on Yonaguni, an island just 110km (68 miles) from Taiwan. Photo: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force


Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan would lift defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP by March – well ahead of her party’s earlier timelines. Photo: AFP

Will China ramp up military activity near Japan over Takaichi’s comments?

The Diaoyu Islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan, have long been a source of tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Photo: Kyodo

Beijing has condemned Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan as “dangerous provocation”. Photo: AP

News

China

Military

Diplomacy

The incident comes at a time of heightened tension after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi angered Beijing with her comments on Taiwan


The incident comes at a time of heightened tension after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi angered Beijing with her comments on Taiwan.


Diaoyu Islands

Japan

East China Sea

Chinese and Japanese coastguard ships in fresh confrontation near disputed Diaoyu Islands

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The incident comes at a time of heightened tension after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi angered Beijing with her comments on Taiwan

The incident comes at a time of heightened tension after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi angered Beijing with her comments on Taiwan