The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Tuesday (June 24) that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has recently begun installing new maritime structures west of the Japan-China “median line” in the East China Sea. The Japanese side believes that the facility may be related to oil and gas field development, and has lodged a diplomatic protest with the CCP.
In a statement, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out, “It is regrettable that China is unilaterally advancing development in an area where the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and continental shelves have not been delimited.” Japan once again urged Beijing to cease unilateral actions and restart negotiations related to the “Joint Development Agreement” reached by both sides in 2008.
Masaki Kanai, Director of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed protest to senior officials at the Chinese Embassy in Japan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this is the 20th similar facility that China has set up in the area, with the last construction confirmed in May.
According to reports from Nikkei News, despite the new facility being located on the Chinese side, Japan is concerned about its impact due to its proximity to disputed boundary areas. Under the 2008 agreement, Tokyo and Beijing had agreed to jointly develop natural gas resources in some areas of the East China Sea. However, negotiations have been at a standstill for many years.
Additionally, according to BBC reports, the Japanese government has expressed concerns about recent actions by the Chinese fleet. The two Chinese aircraft carriers, the “Shandong” and the “Liaoning,” recently conducted rare exercises in the Pacific Ocean, involving hundreds of sorties of fighter jets conducting take-off and landing training. Some of the warplanes even approached Japanese reconnaissance aircraft, prompting “serious concern” from the Japanese side and lodging a protest with Beijing.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense has uncommonly disclosed the daily positions of the Chinese aircraft carriers since May 25, noting that one of them had entered Japan’s exclusive economic zone and even passed through the U.S. “Second Island Chain” defense line. According to Japanese media reports, this is the first time that a Chinese aircraft carrier has taken such action, highlighting the extension of Chinese military power.
On the other hand, the CCP has accused Japan of taking “dangerous actions.”
Japan stated that on June 7, Chinese military aircraft took off from the “Shandong” carrier and followed a Japanese reconnaissance plane for about 40 minutes; the next day, another Chinese military aircraft came close to a Japanese aircraft, flying past it, doubling the time from the previous day.