Survey ships near Diaoyu islands ‘in Chinese waters’
Reuters in Beijing 9 December 2008
Beijing said two of Chinese survey ships, which drew a protest from Japan after sailing near disputed islands in the East China Sea, were within territorial waters and their conduct was “above reproach”.
The uninhabited islands about 2,000km south of Tokyo are thought to lie near oil and gas reserves in an area rich with fish, and have long been a source of friction.
Tokyo lodged a protest after the Japanese coast guard found the ships in waters near the islands, which are claimed by China as the Diaoyu islands, Japan as the Senkaku isles, and Taiwan as the Tiaoyutai.
But Beijing defended the vessels in a statement posted on its foreign ministry website.
“The Diaoyu islands and surrounding islets have been part of Chinese territory since antiquity. For Chinese ships to be cruising normally within waters that are under China’s jurisdiction is above reproach,” the statement quoted spokesman Liu Jianchao saying.
The incident comes as the neighbours sit down to the latest round of on-again-off-again talks about denuclearising the Korean peninsula, and days before a trilateral summit between Japanese, Chinese and South Korean leaders.
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Survey ships near Diaoyu islands ‘in Chinese waters’
Reuters in Beijing
9 December 2008
Beijing said two of Chinese survey ships, which drew a protest from Japan after sailing near disputed islands in the East China Sea, were within territorial waters and their conduct was “above reproach”.
The uninhabited islands about 2,000km south of Tokyo are thought to lie near oil and gas reserves in an area rich with fish, and have long been a source of friction.
Tokyo lodged a protest after the Japanese coast guard found the ships in waters near the islands, which are claimed by China as the Diaoyu islands, Japan as the Senkaku isles, and Taiwan as the Tiaoyutai.
But Beijing defended the vessels in a statement posted on its foreign ministry website.
“The Diaoyu islands and surrounding islets have been part of Chinese territory since antiquity. For Chinese ships to be cruising normally within waters that are under China’s jurisdiction is above reproach,” the statement quoted spokesman Liu Jianchao saying.
The incident comes as the neighbours sit down to the latest round of on-again-off-again talks about denuclearising the Korean peninsula, and days before a trilateral summit between Japanese, Chinese and South Korean leaders.
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