ID :
38781
Sun, 01/04/2009 - 21:27
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/38781
The shortlink copeid
Japan protests to China over work at gas field
BEIJING, Jan. 4 Kyodo -
Japan has lodged repeated protests to China for continuing exploration work at
one of the disputed gas fields in the East China Sea, saying it violates a deal
struck in June, sources knowledgeable about Japan-China relations said Sunday.
But China said in a statement Sunday it is within Beijing's right to develop
the gas field, known as Tianwaitian in China and Kashi in Japan.
Japan filed the protests last year, after it confirmed development activities
in the gas field that lies in an area subject to further discussions between
the two countries under the June deal, the sources said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement that China sees
no problem in continuing work in the gas field, although he did not confirm
that activities were ongoing.
''Gas fields such as 'Tianwaitian' are located in waters controlled by China
that are not under dispute,'' said the statement, posted on the ministry's
website after Japan's Sankei Shimbun first reported about China's activities
there.
''China's development activities in such gas fields constitute the exercising
of its sovereign right,'' it said.
Kashi is located just west of the Japanese-claimed median line, and Tokyo says
that exploration of the gas field may siphon off resources on Japan's side of
that line.
The June agreement was a breakthrough toward solving a longstanding dispute
between the two countries over gas exploration projects in the East China Sea.
Under the deal, Japan and China agreed to jointly explore a
2,700-square-kilometer area south of the Asunaro gas field, which China calls
Longjing, located near the median line.
As for the Chinese-operated Chunxiao gas field, also near the median line and
known as Shirakaba in Japan, Beijing welcomed investment by Japanese
corporations in the project.
The two countries agreed to continue talks over Kashi as well as Kusunoki. The
latter is known as Duanqiao in China.
After it struck the agreement with Japan, the Chinese government had faced
strong criticism from some Chinese, who complained on Internet message boards
that the authorities were selling out to Japan.
==Kyodo
Japan has lodged repeated protests to China for continuing exploration work at
one of the disputed gas fields in the East China Sea, saying it violates a deal
struck in June, sources knowledgeable about Japan-China relations said Sunday.
But China said in a statement Sunday it is within Beijing's right to develop
the gas field, known as Tianwaitian in China and Kashi in Japan.
Japan filed the protests last year, after it confirmed development activities
in the gas field that lies in an area subject to further discussions between
the two countries under the June deal, the sources said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement that China sees
no problem in continuing work in the gas field, although he did not confirm
that activities were ongoing.
''Gas fields such as 'Tianwaitian' are located in waters controlled by China
that are not under dispute,'' said the statement, posted on the ministry's
website after Japan's Sankei Shimbun first reported about China's activities
there.
''China's development activities in such gas fields constitute the exercising
of its sovereign right,'' it said.
Kashi is located just west of the Japanese-claimed median line, and Tokyo says
that exploration of the gas field may siphon off resources on Japan's side of
that line.
The June agreement was a breakthrough toward solving a longstanding dispute
between the two countries over gas exploration projects in the East China Sea.
Under the deal, Japan and China agreed to jointly explore a
2,700-square-kilometer area south of the Asunaro gas field, which China calls
Longjing, located near the median line.
As for the Chinese-operated Chunxiao gas field, also near the median line and
known as Shirakaba in Japan, Beijing welcomed investment by Japanese
corporations in the project.
The two countries agreed to continue talks over Kashi as well as Kusunoki. The
latter is known as Duanqiao in China.
After it struck the agreement with Japan, the Chinese government had faced
strong criticism from some Chinese, who complained on Internet message boards
that the authorities were selling out to Japan.
==Kyodo
