China Expels Japanese Fishing Boat for Illegal Entry near Disputed Islands
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – China's coast guard has expelled a Japanese fishing vessel for illegally entering its territorial waters near the contested Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, as tensions escalate in the long-standing territorial dispute between Beijing and Tokyo.
On Thursday, China's coast guard reported that it had "expelled" a Japanese fishing boat that had "illegally entered" waters around the Diaoyu Islands on October 15-16.
The vessel was warned to leave the area immediately, according to the statement.
“We urge the Japanese side to immediately stop all illegal activities in these waters,” said Liu Dejun, a Chinese coast guard official.
Liu added that the coast guard "took necessary control measures in accordance with the law, warned (the ship) and expelled it," emphasizing that China would continue its maritime rights protection and law enforcement activities in the region.
The Diaoyu Islands, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, have long been a point of contention between the two nations, with both countries claiming sovereignty over the uninhabited but strategically significant islets.
Japan, which controls the islands, insists it has held ownership since 1895, though China asserts it discovered and owned the islands as early as the 14th century.
The islands lie approximately 220 kilometers northeast of Taiwan.
The United States transferred administrative control of the islands to Japan in 1971, sparking renewed disputes with China, which claims sovereignty over the region.
In 2012, relations between China and Japan worsened when Tokyo nationalized part of the islands, further deepening the rift.
In response to rising tensions, Japan announced a five-year, $315 billion military expansion in 2022, citing the need to deter China from using force in the East China Sea.
Despite Japan’s renunciation of war in 1947, following its World War II surrender, Tokyo’s military buildup signals a shift in its defense strategy amid escalating regional disputes.
China continues to assert its "indisputable" sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands, while Japan maintains that the islands are an integral part of its territory.
