China Patrols Disputed Senkaku Islands After Korea-Japan Summit... Japan Claims "Territorial Waters Intrusion"

China: "Rights Protection Patrol in Accordance with the Law"
61 Consecutive Days of Operations Around the Senkaku Waters

On January 14, the China Coast Guard announced that it had conducted a maritime patrol near the Senkaku Islands (called Diaoyu Dao in China), a region disputed between China and Japan.

On this day, the China Coast Guard stated via social media, "On January 14, the China Coast Guard vessel formation 1306 conducted a patrol within the territorial waters of our Diaoyu Dao," adding, "This is a rights protection patrol conducted by the China Coast Guard in accordance with the law."

Senkaku Islands. Photo by Kyodo News and Yonhap News

In response, the Japan Coast Guard reported that four China Coast Guard vessels entered the territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands at approximately 4 p.m. that day. According to Kyodo News, all Chinese coast guard vessels were equipped with autocannons, and the Japanese side issued a warning for them to leave the territorial waters.

Kyodo News also noted that this was the first intrusion by Chinese government vessels into the territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands since December 10 of last year. Chinese vessels have now been confirmed in the waters around the Senkaku Islands for the 61st consecutive day.

China has repeatedly released news of its patrols around the Senkaku Islands to bolster its claims over the territory and surrounding waters. Whenever Japan makes remarks or takes actions that appear to infringe on what it calls its "core interests," China has sent coast guard vessels to stage shows of force.

In particular, some analysts suggest that the timing of this patrol announcement may be related to the summit held the previous day in Nara Prefecture, Japan, between President Lee Jaemyung and Prime Minister Takaiichi, indicating that China may have had Korea-Japan exchanges in mind.