Japan says Chinese ships sail through disputed waters | Global News

Japan says Chinese ships sail through disputed waters

/ 05:08 PM May 31, 2014

Chinese Coast Guard ships. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

TOKYO—Two Chinese coast guard ships sailed through disputed waters off Japan-administered islands in the East China Sea Saturday, officials said, as the United States warned Beijing over increasing territorial assertiveness.

The Japanese coast guard said the vessels entered the 12-nautical-mile band of territorial waters around one of the Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyus, around 10 a.m. (0100 GMT).

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The two ships moved out of the zone about three hours later, it added.

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Chinese vessels and aircraft have regularly approached the East China Sea archipelago — thought to harbor natural resources — since Tokyo nationalized some of the islands in September 2012, setting off the latest spate of incidents in a long-running territorial dispute.

Saturday’s incursion was the first of official Chinese vessels into the disputed waters since May 2 and the 12th this year.

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China is also locked in territorial disputes, in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely.

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There have been incidences of Vietnam and China ramming each other’s vessels recently while in 2012 the Philippines lost control of rich fishing grounds after a tense standoff with China.

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Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam — claim parts of the sea, with Manila and Hanoi being the most vocal in opposing China’s claims. Taiwan is also a claimant.

At the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore Saturday, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel accused China of “destabilizing actions” in the South China Sea.

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He also warned that Washington would not “look the other way” if international order is threatened.

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TAGS: Asia, China, East China Sea, Japan, Philippines, Security, territorial dispute, US, Vietnam

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