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Chinese ships near Diaoyu Islands stoke Japan’s fears of Beijing vs Manila South China Sea-style clash
- Japan deployed airborne early warning aircraft and at least one marine destroyer in response to Chinese vessels sailing near the disputed islands
- Analysts say Beijing’s actions are aimed at weakening Tokyo’s control over the uninhabited East China Sea islands it calls the Senkakus
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Japan is increasingly alarmed by the constant presence of Chinese vessels near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea amid concerns that the row over the area could escalate and mirror recent maritime altercations between Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea.
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Chinese warships have been spotted in the area and near the boundaries of Japan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), the Japanese defence ministry said on Wednesday without specifying a period of their presence, according to a report by the Yomiuri newspaper.
In response, Japan deployed an airborne early warning and control system aircraft, a patrol plane and a helicopter to the area, located near Okinawa, along with at least one marine destroyer.
In 2013, China unilaterally declared an ADIZ in the East China Sea, covering an area that overlaps with the long-established Japanese ADIZ.
As Beijing continues to ramp up its claims to land, sea and airspace in the East China Sea, Japan is bracing for confrontations similar to those faced by the Philippines in the South China Sea, analysts said. Among the incidents, Philippine supply vessels were hit by the Chinese coastguard’s water cannons while Filipino fishing boats were also harassed in recent months.
Analysts believe that China’s ultimate goal is to weaken the international perception of Japanese sovereignty over the Diaoyus, which Japan calls the Senkaku Islands, and seize them eventually. The uninhabited archipelago to the north of Okinawa has been controlled by Japan since 1972.
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