"China has sent its coast guard through the waters of the Senkaku islands and military drones past outlying Japanese territory as Beijing ramps up tensions over the Japanese prime minister's remarks on Taiwan. On Sunday the Chinese coast guard said its ships made a rights enforcement patrol through the waters of the Senkaku, which are administered by Japan but also claimed by China as the Diaoyu islands."
"China coast guard vessel 1307 formation conducted patrols within the territorial waters of the Diaoyu islands. This was a lawful patrol operation conducted by the China coast guard to uphold its rights and interests, the statement said. China and Japan have repeatedly faced off around the islands but the latest activity comes amid an intensifying diplomatic spat after the Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, told parliament that if China attack democratically ruled Taiwan it could trigger a military response from Tokyo."
"That sparked an angry response from Beijing, which has signalled it expects a retraction from Takaichi. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and intends to annex it under what it terms reunification. It has not ruled out the use of force. Taiwan's government and people overwhelmingly reject the prospect of Chinese rule preferring to maintain the status quo without explicitly declaring themselves independent, but vowing to defend themselves if necessary."
Chinese coast guard ships patrolled the waters around the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands and Chinese military drones flew past outlying Japanese territory, increasing regional tensions. The coast guard described the patrol as a lawful rights enforcement operation by vessel 1307 and other units. The activity followed Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi's parliamentary remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could prompt a Japanese military response, prompting an angry reaction from Beijing and a demand for retraction. China claims Taiwan and has not ruled out force, while Taiwan’s government and people overwhelmingly reject reunification and say they will defend the island. Taiwan detected multiple Chinese aircraft, navy ships and drones operating nearby.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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