Chinese Activists Arrested On Disputed Island In China Sea (Photo : Getty Images)
First, it was a Chinese fighter jet that flew too close to an American aircraft that was the subject of a protest on Tuesday to Beijing. Two days after the incident, another country is protesting a Chinese warship off disputed islands.
The Associated Press reported that the protest was sparked by Japanese authorities spotting a Chinese navy frigate off the coast of Senkaku Islands, which is controlled by Japan but also claimed by China. However, the vessel did not breach Japan’s territorial water on East China Sea and has left the region.
It was the first time that a Chinese warship was spotted in the area, although coast guard vessels from China routinely patrol the area, according to Japanese authorities.
The intrusion led Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga to criticize Beijing for worsening the tension in the region already over similar claims in the South China Sea with its Asian neighbors. “Japan is extremely concerned about the action that unilaterally escalates tension in the area,” Suga said.
Japan claims that since Japan nationalized Senkaku’s ownership in 2012, Chinese coast guard vessels have been spotted patrolling the arrow strip just outside Japanese waters almost daily. The same patrols occasionally breach the territorial waters monthly. China calls the islands Diaoyu Islands, considered an important maritime location because of its proximity to key shipping lanes, the rich fishing grounds and near potential oil and gas reserves, BBC reported.
Besides the Chinese warship, Japan reported that three Russian warships have also been seen in the area at the same time. Suga said Japanese officials are assessing if the two incidents were coordinated or it is just a coincidence.
