China says carrier accused of entering Japanese waters was on routine training

Date:

Share post:


BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Thursday its Liaoning aircraft carrier had been on a routine training mission in the western Pacific and dismissed charges by Tokyo that the vessel and its escorts had entered Japanese waters.

In the latest incident in a drawn-out dispute between Beijing and Tokyo over maritime activities, Japan’s defence ministry said on Wednesday the carrier and two accompanying destroyers had sailed between Japan’s southern Yonaguni and Iriomote islands in waters where Japan can exert control.

China’s defence ministry responded on Thursday by saying the vessels were on a training exercise that was in line with relevant international laws. It did not give an exact location for the flotilla.

“There is no need for relevant parties to over-interpret it,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshi Moriya said on Wednesday that Tokyo had conveyed its serious concerns to Beijing, describing the incident as “utterly unacceptable”.

Japan would continue to closely monitor Chinese naval vessels’ activities in the surrounding waters, Moriya said.

An increase in Chinese military activity near Japan and around the island of Taiwan in recent years has worried Tokyo. Japan has responded with a defence buildup it says aims to deter China from using military force to push its territorial claims in the region.

Last month, Japan lodged a protest with Beijing after a Chinese navy survey vessel entered Japanese waters. It also accused a Chinese spyplane of breaching its airspace.

(Reporting by Laurie Chen and Beijing Newsroom; Writing by Laurie Chen; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Angus MacSwan)



Source link

Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams is a writer and editor. Angeles. She writes about politics, art, and culture for LinkDaddy News.

Recent posts

Related articles

5 arrested after detectives find young boy locked in cage inside house

Five people have been arrested after detectives found a young boy locked in a caged area inside...

Man accused of hitting unmarked police cruiser, causing hours-long standoff formally charged

A man accused of hitting an unmarked police cruiser and causing an hours-long standoff in Dayton has...

Scores of taxi drivers given licenses despite having convictions for violent offences

Scores of taxi drivers have been able to obtain licenses despite having convictions for violent offences, a...

US arrests Turk for allegedly trying to break Venezuela sanctions

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities have arrested a Turkish man who they allege was trying to violate...

Rare November hurricane set to hit the US – here’s the projected path

A rare November hurricane is expected to make landfall in the southern US this weekend, according to...

Ominous Cloud Looms in Tornado-Warned Oklahoma County

An ominous-looking cloud was seen hovering in east-central Oklahoma on Monday, November 4, as weather officials issued...

US housing affordability, November's market seasonality: Wealth

In today's installment of Wealth, Brad Smith tackles the biggest personal finance topics ahead of Tuesday's presidential...

Dallas singer shot onstage while signing autographs after performance

A Dallas singer has been hospitalized after she was shot onstage following a performance Saturday with The...