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Chinese surveillance ships enter Diaoyu waters
By Yang Jingjie Source:Global Times Published: 2012-9-15 0:50:00
A Chinese marine surveillance ship cruises near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea on Friday. Six Chinese ships sailed into waters around the islets to demonstrate China's jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islets and ensure the country's maritime interests. Photo: AFP/Japan Coast Guard
Six Chinese marine surveillance ships Friday entered waters around the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islets in the East China Sea on a patrol and law enforcement mission regarded as "unprecedented" by Japan.
At around 6 am Friday, two fleets of patrol vessels, one consisting of four ships and another of two ships, arrived in waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands, according to a statement posted on the Chinese foreign ministry's website.
The statement said it marked the first time Chinese surveillance ships have patrolled there since the Chinese government announced Monday the base points and baselines of the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands, as well as the names and coordinates of 17 base points.
The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) said the ships had all left the area by around 1:20 pm Tokyo time, approximately seven hours after the first vessel had arrived, AFP reported.
China News Service quoted the JCG as saying that three ships at one stage were only four nautical miles from the islets.
The Chinese ships drew JCG helicopters and patrol ships, which monitored the Chinese vessels. No confrontation between the two sides was reported.
During the patrol in waters within 12 nautical miles of the islets, a crew member aboard Haijian-50, China's most advanced surveillance ship, told a Japanese patrol ship via radio that it had violated China's sovereignty, and that any unilateral move over the Diaoyu Islands taken by the Japanese side was "illegal and invalid," reported China Central Television.
The Chinese ship warned Japanese vessels to immediately stop their infringing acts, or they would bear all the consequences.
The law enforcement mission prompted Tokyo to set up task forces at the crisis management center within the prime minister's office, reported Kyodo News.
Kyodo quoted the JCG as saying that it was the largest group of Chinese surveillance ships to ever enter the area.
"We understand that (the dispatch of) six ships is surely an unprecedented case," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said at a press conference.
Japan's foreign ministry summoned China's ambassador to lodge a protest.
China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a press briefing Friday that China doesn't accept the protest, stressing that it is indisputable for Chinese ships to patrol in the area.
Zha Daojiong, a professor with the School of International Studies at Peking University, told the Global Times the law enforcement mission displayed China's resolve to assert its jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands.
"The fairly large number of vessels (sent to the area) is quite probably meant to prepare for the worst," noted Zha.
At a seminar on Friday, China's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Yucheng said the patrol and other countermeasures taken by China during the week have effectively asserted China's sovereignty over the islets and stricken Japan's aggressiveness.
"As the situation develops, we will give them tit for tat and take effective measures to safeguard our territorial sovereignty resolutely," said Le.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Agriculture said on its website that China's fishery patrol ships were prepared to safeguard fishing and carry out law enforcement in waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands.
According to the ministry, more than 1,000 fishing boats from coastal provinces including Fujian and Zhejiang sail to waters near the Diaoyu Islands to fish every year. A fishing ban in the East China Sea will be lifted at 12 pm Sunday. The ministry has ordered related departments to protect the safety and rights of fishermen.
An official surnamed Chen with the Regional Bureau of East China Sea Fishery Management told the Global Times that fishery patrol ships have been carrying out routine patrols in waters near the islets.
Chen didn't reveal specific areas and routes for the patrol, but said they will cover waters used by fishermen.
Jin Yongming, a researcher with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that to further claim its sovereignty, it is necessary for China to carry out surveying, scientific research and development activities in waters surrounding the islets. He even suggested the government create conditions for building facilities like meteorological and observatory stations on the islets to serve fishery and shipping needs.
On Thursday, China's permanent representative to the UN Li Baodong met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and filed a copy of the Chinese government's Diaoyu Islands baseline announcement with the UN.
An expert on the international law of the sea, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Global Times that the move marked the completion of the legal process regarding China's announcement of the base points and baselines of the territorial waters of the islets.
Separately, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is expected to discuss escalating tensions between China and Japan during his visits to the countries next week.
Agencies contributed to this story
Six Chinese marine surveillance ships Friday entered waters around the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islets in the East China Sea on a patrol and law enforcement mission regarded as "unprecedented" by Japan.
At around 6 am Friday, two fleets of patrol vessels, one consisting of four ships and another of two ships, arrived in waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands, according to a statement posted on the Chinese foreign ministry's website.
The statement said it marked the first time Chinese surveillance ships have patrolled there since the Chinese government announced Monday the base points and baselines of the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands, as well as the names and coordinates of 17 base points.
The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) said the ships had all left the area by around 1:20 pm Tokyo time, approximately seven hours after the first vessel had arrived, AFP reported.
China News Service quoted the JCG as saying that three ships at one stage were only four nautical miles from the islets.
The Chinese ships drew JCG helicopters and patrol ships, which monitored the Chinese vessels. No confrontation between the two sides was reported.
During the patrol in waters within 12 nautical miles of the islets, a crew member aboard Haijian-50, China's most advanced surveillance ship, told a Japanese patrol ship via radio that it had violated China's sovereignty, and that any unilateral move over the Diaoyu Islands taken by the Japanese side was "illegal and invalid," reported China Central Television.
The Chinese ship warned Japanese vessels to immediately stop their infringing acts, or they would bear all the consequences.
The law enforcement mission prompted Tokyo to set up task forces at the crisis management center within the prime minister's office, reported Kyodo News.
Kyodo quoted the JCG as saying that it was the largest group of Chinese surveillance ships to ever enter the area.
"We understand that (the dispatch of) six ships is surely an unprecedented case," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said at a press conference.
Japan's foreign ministry summoned China's ambassador to lodge a protest.
China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a press briefing Friday that China doesn't accept the protest, stressing that it is indisputable for Chinese ships to patrol in the area.
Zha Daojiong, a professor with the School of International Studies at Peking University, told the Global Times the law enforcement mission displayed China's resolve to assert its jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands.
"The fairly large number of vessels (sent to the area) is quite probably meant to prepare for the worst," noted Zha.
At a seminar on Friday, China's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Yucheng said the patrol and other countermeasures taken by China during the week have effectively asserted China's sovereignty over the islets and stricken Japan's aggressiveness.
"As the situation develops, we will give them tit for tat and take effective measures to safeguard our territorial sovereignty resolutely," said Le.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Agriculture said on its website that China's fishery patrol ships were prepared to safeguard fishing and carry out law enforcement in waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands.
According to the ministry, more than 1,000 fishing boats from coastal provinces including Fujian and Zhejiang sail to waters near the Diaoyu Islands to fish every year. A fishing ban in the East China Sea will be lifted at 12 pm Sunday. The ministry has ordered related departments to protect the safety and rights of fishermen.
An official surnamed Chen with the Regional Bureau of East China Sea Fishery Management told the Global Times that fishery patrol ships have been carrying out routine patrols in waters near the islets.
Chen didn't reveal specific areas and routes for the patrol, but said they will cover waters used by fishermen.
Jin Yongming, a researcher with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that to further claim its sovereignty, it is necessary for China to carry out surveying, scientific research and development activities in waters surrounding the islets. He even suggested the government create conditions for building facilities like meteorological and observatory stations on the islets to serve fishery and shipping needs.
On Thursday, China's permanent representative to the UN Li Baodong met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and filed a copy of the Chinese government's Diaoyu Islands baseline announcement with the UN.
An expert on the international law of the sea, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Global Times that the move marked the completion of the legal process regarding China's announcement of the base points and baselines of the territorial waters of the islets.
Separately, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is expected to discuss escalating tensions between China and Japan during his visits to the countries next week.
Agencies contributed to this story