China, Japan Patrol Disputed Waters in East China Sea

The China Coast Guard today announced that it conducted patrols in the “territorial waters” around the Diaoyu Islands, which are also referred to as the Senkaku Islands by Japan, in the East China Sea.

In a separate statement, the Japan Coast Guard reported that its patrol boats requested four Chinese coast guard vessels to exit “our territorial waters.” This incident marks the tenth time this year that Chinese vessels have entered the area, according to the Japan Coast Guard.

The waters around the islands are disputed and claimed by both China and Japan. The two sides have faced off in the waters, deploying patrol boats and urging the other to leave the area.

Friday’s face-off came after the leaders of the United States, Japan and the Philippines held talks at the White House on Thursday to push back on Beijing’s stepped-up pressure on Manila in the disputed South China Sea.

With Inputs from Reuters