Chinese naval ship enters Japanese territorial waters

Although incursions by Chinese coast guard ships in waters near Senkaku are common, this was the first time a navy ship did so. The reconnaissance ship “was sailing straight without wandering off or making stops”, a Japanese defense official said.

In a separate incident, Japanese officials said on Wednesday that another Chinese observation ship had entered Japanese waters south of Kyushu island.

In Beijing, Chinese officials defended the naval vessel’s entry into the waters, saying the passage was in line with the principle of freedom of navigation and global rules. For Japan, there was thus no basis under UNCLOS to protest the Chinese ship, as there are no restrictions on passage through the contiguous zone.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made a high-profile visit to the Stennis while it was in the South China Sea in April to criticize China’s territorial claims and island-building campaign.

From the waters of the Philippine Sea this week emerged a partial outline of Washington’s vision for a new Asian maritime-security order that unites democratic powers to contend with a more-assertive and well-armed China. The move is the first of its kind since 2004, when a Chinese nuclear submarine entered Japan’s 12 nautical mile territorial sea near Sakishima Islands, in Okinawa prefecture.

Although this type of endeavor would not be performed by the U.S.in the same manner, it is being deemed as an expected and coherent response, especially from China.

Japan’s LST Kunisaki will be taking part in the naval exercise in the South China Sea and will be carrying 330 crew, May 30, 2014. The islands are claimed by both China and Taiwan, while Japan remains as their sovereign owner. Sub-hunting patrol planes launched from bases in Japan are also participating in the joint annual exercise, dubbed Malabar.

The ship did not violate Japan’s territorial waters, and it has since left the area.

The Japanese government also summoned the Chinese ambassador over the issue.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he was unaware of the situation. A strengthened three-way partnership among the U.S., Japan and India is “an important strategic shift”.

“I was struck by comments that have been made, with claims outside of what the Chinese refer to as the nine-dash line”, Swift said, according to the Nikkei interview. Japanese officials said they are analysing China’s possible motives behind the two actions.