China, Japan coast guards face off again near disputed islands
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Coast guard ships from both countries reportedly urged each other to leave the waters around the contested Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.
PHOTO: YOMIURI SHIMBUN/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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TOKYO – Chinese and Japanese coast guard ships faced off in waters around disputed islands in the East China Sea again on Wednesday, with both countries saying they deployed patrol ships to urge the other side to leave the territory.
The disputed islands, called Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan, are claimed by both countries.
The Chinese coast guard said three Japanese ships and several patrol ships illegally entered its territorial waters on Wednesday, and that it “took necessary control measures in accordance with the law”.
Japan’s coast guard said its patrol boats, in turn, repeatedly urged three Chinese coast guard vessels to leave the waters.
A similar incident occurred on Oct 17.
China’s coast guard has also lately been skirmishing with the Philippine Coast Guard in disputed waters around the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea.
The two sides traded accusations over a collision on Oct 22
In that incident, a Chinese coast guard vessel collided with a Philippine supply boat heading towards a rusted World War II-era transport ship used as an outpost at the shoal. REUTERS
