Tokyo: Japan has expressed extreme displeasure over the Chinese oil exploration in the East China Sea. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned that these unilateral Chinese actions are deplorable and Japan will never accept these actions. It has also been revealed that the Japanese foreign ministry has lodged an official diplomatic complaint with China. This new dispute between China and Japan against the background of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Japan becomes noteworthy.
Over the last few years, China has increased its activities in the East and the South China Sea. Incidents of Chinese aeroplanes, submarines, patrol vessels and warships consistently intruding into the Japanese maritime limits have been reported. A few days ago, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and eight destroyers sailed close to the Okinawa Islands of Japan. Before that, during the joint exercises between China and Russia, the Chinese warships had sailed close to the Japanese marine limits. As per analysts, these Chinese actions are a warning for Japan.
A few days ago, a Chinese unit started oil exploration in a region considered to be disputed in the East China Sea. Both China and Japan have claimed rights over the area. An agreement was signed to find a solution to the dispute in 2008. But tensions festered as there was a dispute over the deal’s implementation. Even after that, China erected oil exploration systems at 17 locations in the East China Sea. China has not stopped its activities despite consistent opposition from Japan.
Therefore, now Japan has indicated adopting an aggressive stand. The Japanese Prime Minister expressing intense displeasure over the Chinese actions just before US President Joe Biden’s visit to Japan is also a part of the same stand. Chinese activities will be the central issue in the discussions during the US President’s visit. It is believed that taking this background into account, the Japanese Prime Minister has pointed to the Chinese activities by adopting an insistent position.
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