Japan Says It Expelled Chinese Coast Guard Ships Near Disputed Senkaku Islands; Beijing Rejects Claim

Japan and China gave conflicting accounts on Tuesday after a confrontation between their coast guard vessels near the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, with both countries claiming they forced the other’s vessels to leave waters they each consider their own.

The latest incident took place around the uninhabited islands, which are controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan. Located close to Taiwan, the area is considered strategically important and is believed to have rich fishing grounds and potential oil and natural gas reserves.

Japan’s Coast Guard said four Chinese coast guard vessels were operating near the Senkaku Islands before two entered what Tokyo considers its territorial waters.

According to Japanese authorities, the Chinese ships approached a Japanese fishing boat, prompting the coast guard to send patrol vessels to protect it and order the Chinese ships to leave.

Japan said the Chinese vessels had left its territorial waters by around 9:20 a.m. local time.

“The Japan Coast Guard will continue to respond calmly and resolutely in accordance with international and domestic law, and will take every possible measure to ensure the security of our territorial waters,” the agency said, calling the Chinese vessels’ actions “a violation of international law.”

Japanese officials also said that although Chinese coast guard vessels regularly patrol waters around the disputed islands, it was unusual for them to approach a Japanese fishing boat.

China rejected Japan’s version of events and said its coast guard had instead driven away a Japanese fishing vessel that had entered waters claimed by Beijing.

“The Japanese fishing boat Zuihou Maru intruded into the territorial waters… CCG vessels took necessary measures to warn and expel it,” China’s Coast Guard said in a statement.

Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said the fishing vessel had “illegally entered China’s territorial waters” near what China calls the Diaoyu Islands.

He said Chinese coast guard ships took “necessary control measures in accordance with the law” before warning the vessel and driving it away. Liu also urged Japan to “immediately cease all illegal activities in these waters.”

The Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China, lie between Japan’s Okinawa prefecture and Taiwan.

Japan administers the islands, but China and Taiwan also claim sovereignty over them. The dispute has led to frequent coast guard patrols and diplomatic protests between Tokyo and Beijing.

The waters around the islands are believed to contain valuable fishing resources as well as potential oil and natural gas reserves. Their location in the East China Sea, close to Taiwan and important maritime routes, has made the area a regular source of tension.

China has regularly sent coast guard vessels into waters around the disputed islands, while Japan has repeatedly protested what it describes as incursions into its territorial waters.

Tensions have also grown over Taiwan.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November last year that Japan could intervene militarily if Taiwan came under attack.

Beijing criticised the remarks, saying Taiwan is part of China and reiterating that it has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Following those comments, China urged its citizens to reconsider travel to Japan and imposed trade restrictions on some Japanese companies.

The latest encounter ended without any reports of injuries or damage. However, both governments continued to maintain that they had forced the other’s vessels to leave the disputed waters, while coast guard patrols around the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands are expected to continue.

References: Firstpost, Times of India