ID :
203544
Thu, 08/25/2011 - 16:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/203544
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Minister lodges protest over Chinese boats' approach near Senkakus
TOKYO, Aug. 25 Kyodo - Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto summoned Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua on Thursday and lodged a protest with him over the entry of two Chinese fishery patrol boats into waters near the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands on Wednesday.
State Foreign Secretary Chiaki Takahashi said Matsumoto's protest, which follows similar moves Wednesday by Vice Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae and Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa, mirrors Tokyo's view that the boats' passage in Japanese territorial waters cannot be considered as innocent.
Matsumoto told Cheng that Japan ''deeply regrets'' the fact that the two Chinese government-related boats repeatedly claimed Beijing's sovereignty over the islands in the East China Sea known as Diaoyu in China, according to Japanese officials.
The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea stipulates that the passage of foreign vessels in territorial waters cannot be considered innocent if they engage in activities that threaten the sovereignty of the coastal state or acts of propaganda aimed at affecting the defense or security of that state.
The envoy said he will immediately convey the minister's protest to Beijing, but reiterated China's position on the islands, the officials said.
Cheng nonetheless suggested China's intention to improve its ties with Japan, expressing hope that the two countries will work together for a better relationship in the run-up to the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties in 2012.
Matsumoto urged Beijing to prevent a recurrence so as to warm up the bilateral relationship, the officials said.
Takahashi said at a press conference he personally thinks Japan should amend its laws to more strongly control approaches to waters near the Senkaku Islands by Chinese ships.
In September last year, tensions flared up between Japan and China over the disputed islands when a private Chinese fishing boat collided with Japanese patrol vessels near the uninhabited islands.
Since that incident, Chinese vessels have approached the Senkaku Islands on 11 occasions, but without entering Japan's territorial waters.
State Foreign Secretary Chiaki Takahashi said Matsumoto's protest, which follows similar moves Wednesday by Vice Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae and Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa, mirrors Tokyo's view that the boats' passage in Japanese territorial waters cannot be considered as innocent.
Matsumoto told Cheng that Japan ''deeply regrets'' the fact that the two Chinese government-related boats repeatedly claimed Beijing's sovereignty over the islands in the East China Sea known as Diaoyu in China, according to Japanese officials.
The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea stipulates that the passage of foreign vessels in territorial waters cannot be considered innocent if they engage in activities that threaten the sovereignty of the coastal state or acts of propaganda aimed at affecting the defense or security of that state.
The envoy said he will immediately convey the minister's protest to Beijing, but reiterated China's position on the islands, the officials said.
Cheng nonetheless suggested China's intention to improve its ties with Japan, expressing hope that the two countries will work together for a better relationship in the run-up to the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties in 2012.
Matsumoto urged Beijing to prevent a recurrence so as to warm up the bilateral relationship, the officials said.
Takahashi said at a press conference he personally thinks Japan should amend its laws to more strongly control approaches to waters near the Senkaku Islands by Chinese ships.
In September last year, tensions flared up between Japan and China over the disputed islands when a private Chinese fishing boat collided with Japanese patrol vessels near the uninhabited islands.
Since that incident, Chinese vessels have approached the Senkaku Islands on 11 occasions, but without entering Japan's territorial waters.
