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July 12, 2012

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China rejects Japan's protests over patrols

CHINA does not accept a representation lodged by Japan over Chinese fishery administration vessels' recent patrols in waters off the Diaoyu Islands, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said yesterday.

Liu said Chinese fishery administration vessels entered into the waters under Chinese jurisdiction to conduct official duties in accordance with Chinese law. The Diaoyu Islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times, he said.

Earlier yesterday, Japan had protested to the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo after three Chinese fishery patrol ships entered waters near the Diaoyu Islands.

The three vessels had arrived near the islands at around 2am during a routine check, fishery authorities in China said.

The Yuzheng-202, Yuzheng-204 and Yuzheng-35001 were conducting routine patrols of the East China Sea, said sources with the East China Sea Fishery Bureau under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The ministry had earlier issued a ban on fishing in the East China Sea from June 1 to protect fish during the spawning season.

In order to safeguard the interests of the Chinese oceanic fishing industry and ensure the safety of Chinese fishermen, the China Fishery Administration Bureau had included areas surrounding the Diaoyu Islands and affiliated islets in its regular patrols since 2010.

In Phnom Penh, Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers sparred over the issue yesterday but appeared to try to steer clear of the acrimony that plunged ties between the two Asian giants into a deep chill two years ago.

"Through specific cooperation we have to make Japan-China relations forward looking," the Kyodo news agency quoted Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba as telling Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi at the start of two-way talks.

"But at the same time, today, I would like to exchange views frankly on some problems existing between the two countries," Kyodo quoted him as saying, adding that Gemba repeated Japan's protest over the Chinese ships' actions.

According to Kyodo, Gemba told reporters after the talks: "It is important to respond calmly so that Japan-China relations overall are not affected."

Yang said that Sino-Japanese ties, which this year mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic normalization, had achieved "some progress" since the start of the year.

But Yang added that there were "some acute problems" in bilateral ties.

Yang urged Japan to adhere to relevant agreements and understanding between the two sides in good faith, return to the right path of managing differences through dialogue and consultation with the Chinese side and take concrete actions to uphold the overall interests of the bilateral ties.



 

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