China military officials admit ship radar lock: Kyodo report

TOKYO (AFP) - Senior Chinese military officials have admitted for the first time that a frigate locked its radar on a Japanese destroyer during the two nations' spat over disputed islands, Kyodo News agency reported on Monday.

In one of the more serious incidents in an escalating row over ownership of the islands in the East China Sea, Tokyo said the Chinese vessel effectively had a Japanese ship in its sights earlier this year.

Beijing has consistently denied the allegation and accused Tokyo of hyping the "China threat" in a bid to manipulate world public opinion against its giant neighbour.

But Kyodo News cited unnamed "senior Chinese military officials" saying the weapons targeting had taken place.