Beijing [China], August 27 (ANI): Japan has lodged a formal diplomatic protest against China’s unilateral development of gas fields in disputed waters of the East China Sea, highlighting the fragile state of regional resource cooperation, Al Jazeera reported.
In a statement issued Monday, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted the construction of a “new structure” west of the median line of Tokyo’s proposed maritime boundary. The ministry emphasised that, despite unresolved claims over the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf, China is pursuing unilateral development in the area.
Director-General Kanai Masaaki of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau conveyed a “strong protest” to Shi Yong, deputy head of China’s embassy in Tokyo, urging Beijing to resume negotiations on the 2008 agreement for joint resource exploitation in the East China Sea. Talks under this pact have been stalled since late 2010, following a collision between a Chinese fishing vessel and Japanese Coast Guard ships near the Senkaku Islands.
Japan’s protest follows previous objections in May and June, when Chinese-built installations were detected in the same vicinity. Reports indicate that China has positioned around 21 suspected drilling rigs on its side of the de facto boundary. Beijing has yet to formally respond to the latest protest but has previously defended its activities as occurring in “undisputed waters under China’s jurisdiction,” while reaffirming its commitment to the prior East China Sea resource cooperation framework.
The incident underscores the high stakes of energy security and bilateral trust. Japan’s firm objection and renewed call for dialogue reflect growing frustration and the need to manage shared resources to prevent further tensions in the region. (ANI)
About The Author
