China and Japan’s coast guards faced off near the disputed Diaoyu Islands, which Tokyo calls the Senkaku Islands, in the East China Sea on Tuesday, intensifying an already tense territorial feud.
China’s Coast Guard claimed a Japanese fishing vessel had illegally entered waters it asserts as Chinese territory. The Chinese spokesperson, Liu Dejun, said the coast guard warned the vessel and took “necessary law enforcement measures” to defend the Diaoyu Islands, urging Japan to “immediately stop all acts of infringement and provocation.”
Japan’s Coast Guard offered a contrasting account, stating they intercepted two Chinese vessels that approached the fishing boat in Japanese waters and ordered them to leave. The JCG confirmed the fishing vessel remained safe while the Chinese ships eventually departed.
The confrontation comes amid worsening diplomatic relations after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sparked Beijing’s ire last month by suggesting Japan could take military action if China attacked Taiwan. Beijing regards self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force.
The East China Sea, including the uninhabited Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, has long been a flashpoint. Although China and Japan agreed in 2008 to jointly exploit the area’s resources, Chinese vessels have increasingly entered the contested waters, setting annual records for patrol frequency in recent years.
The latest incident underscores the fragility of regional stability and the growing risk of military escalation between the two major powers. Both nations continue to assert sovereignty over the islands, with tensions showing no signs of abating.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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