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| China rebukes US over 'ignorant' comments on island dispute with Japan | China rebukes US over 'ignorant' comments on island dispute with Japan |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| China has criticised comments made by Hillary Clinton about its increasingly complex and fractious dispute with Japan over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. | China has criticised comments made by Hillary Clinton about its increasingly complex and fractious dispute with Japan over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. |
| Tensions over the island chain – known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China – have escalated since Japan bought the islands from private owners. | Tensions over the island chain – known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China – have escalated since Japan bought the islands from private owners. |
| Chinese ships returned to waters around the disputed islands on Monday, the Japanese coastguard said, for the 24th time since the row broke out. Japan's defence minister has refused to rule out the use of warning shots to deter Chinese aircraft from flying nearby, a move that would raise the stakes. This month China scrambled fighter jets to tail Japanese fighters that were shadowing a Chinese surveillance plane. | Chinese ships returned to waters around the disputed islands on Monday, the Japanese coastguard said, for the 24th time since the row broke out. Japan's defence minister has refused to rule out the use of warning shots to deter Chinese aircraft from flying nearby, a move that would raise the stakes. This month China scrambled fighter jets to tail Japanese fighters that were shadowing a Chinese surveillance plane. |
| The row is shaded by broader concerns: neighbours are anxious about an increasingly powerful China, while China fears the US is seeking to contain it. Beijing hit out at Washington after Clinton said that while the US did not take a position on the sovereignty of the chain, it opposed "any unilateral actions that would seek to undermine Japanese administration". | The row is shaded by broader concerns: neighbours are anxious about an increasingly powerful China, while China fears the US is seeking to contain it. Beijing hit out at Washington after Clinton said that while the US did not take a position on the sovereignty of the chain, it opposed "any unilateral actions that would seek to undermine Japanese administration". |
| The Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a briefing on Monday that the outgoing US secretary of state's comments were "ignorant of facts and indiscriminate of rights and wrongs", echoing a statement issued the previous day. | The Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a briefing on Monday that the outgoing US secretary of state's comments were "ignorant of facts and indiscriminate of rights and wrongs", echoing a statement issued the previous day. |
| He said the US – which controlled the islands from 1945 to 1972 before returning them to Japan – had "undeniable historical responsibility" in the dispute. Taiwan also claims sovereignty over the chain. | He said the US – which controlled the islands from 1945 to 1972 before returning them to Japan – had "undeniable historical responsibility" in the dispute. Taiwan also claims sovereignty over the chain. |
| Professor Huang Jing, an expert on regional security at the National University of Singapore, said US credibility in the Asia-Pacific region was at stake and Washington needed to show leadership by convincing both sides to negotiate. | Professor Huang Jing, an expert on regional security at the National University of Singapore, said US credibility in the Asia-Pacific region was at stake and Washington needed to show leadership by convincing both sides to negotiate. |
| "In public it's China versus the US. In private I think it's more difficult to convince not China, but Japan. There's too much at stake for the Japanese leadership," he said. | "In public it's China versus the US. In private I think it's more difficult to convince not China, but Japan. There's too much at stake for the Japanese leadership," he said. |
| "I think there's still a fine line neither side is trying to cross," he added, pointing out that Japanese patrols had not forced Chinese vessels from the area, while China had kept military ships away. | "I think there's still a fine line neither side is trying to cross," he added, pointing out that Japanese patrols had not forced Chinese vessels from the area, while China had kept military ships away. |
| But he said: "Political survival on both sides is more important than avoiding a skirmish or even war." | But he said: "Political survival on both sides is more important than avoiding a skirmish or even war." |
| The countries could take a step back as long as peace endured, but it would be far harder "to catch up or patch up after something happens", Huang said. | The countries could take a step back as long as peace endured, but it would be far harder "to catch up or patch up after something happens", Huang said. |
| Shogo Suzuki, an expert on Sino-Japanese relations and visiting associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, said: "All it takes is one hothead to pull the trigger and the whole thing spirals out of control. It's a dangerous situation and I think both sides have trapped themselves." | Shogo Suzuki, an expert on Sino-Japanese relations and visiting associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, said: "All it takes is one hothead to pull the trigger and the whole thing spirals out of control. It's a dangerous situation and I think both sides have trapped themselves." |
| The recent aerial standoff ended without incident, but the proximity of Chinese to Japanese fighters heightens the risk of an accident or pilot error leading to a wider conflict between Asia's two biggest economies. | The recent aerial standoff ended without incident, but the proximity of Chinese to Japanese fighters heightens the risk of an accident or pilot error leading to a wider conflict between Asia's two biggest economies. |
| Tokyo is considering stationing a fleet of fighter jets closer to the islands. The defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, suggested that Japanese pilots could use tracer fire to warn Chinese fighters that their presence had been noted and that further action could follow. | Tokyo is considering stationing a fleet of fighter jets closer to the islands. The defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, suggested that Japanese pilots could use tracer fire to warn Chinese fighters that their presence had been noted and that further action could follow. |
| "Every country has procedures for how to deal with a violation of its territory that continues after multiple cautionary measures," Onodera said. "We have response measures ready that are consistent with global standards." | "Every country has procedures for how to deal with a violation of its territory that continues after multiple cautionary measures," Onodera said. "We have response measures ready that are consistent with global standards." |
| Chinese officials said the use of tracer fire would not go unanswered, and accused Japan of deliberately raising tensions. | Chinese officials said the use of tracer fire would not go unanswered, and accused Japan of deliberately raising tensions. |
| Chinese media have stressed the need to improve military preparedness, though without making direct reference to the territorial row. | Chinese media have stressed the need to improve military preparedness, though without making direct reference to the territorial row. |
| Some observers see possible hints of a thaw, such as reports that Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has asked a coalition partner, Natsuo Yamaguchi of the New Komeito party, to bear a personal message to Chinese leaders in a visit that begins on Tuesday. | Some observers see possible hints of a thaw, such as reports that Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has asked a coalition partner, Natsuo Yamaguchi of the New Komeito party, to bear a personal message to Chinese leaders in a visit that begins on Tuesday. |
| Suzuki said Abe's hawkish credentials should protect him from charges of being weak on China, potentially allowing him to take the initiative. But Huang Dahui, director of the centre for East Asian studies at Renmin University in Beijing, argued Abe had already toughened Tokyo's stance. | Suzuki said Abe's hawkish credentials should protect him from charges of being weak on China, potentially allowing him to take the initiative. But Huang Dahui, director of the centre for East Asian studies at Renmin University in Beijing, argued Abe had already toughened Tokyo's stance. |
| "Japan has intensified the relationship with the US to suppress China, and has made efforts to rope in other South Asian countries which also have territorial problems with China, such as India, and other countries which have different values from China. They are trying to build a network against China," he said. | "Japan has intensified the relationship with the US to suppress China, and has made efforts to rope in other South Asian countries which also have territorial problems with China, such as India, and other countries which have different values from China. They are trying to build a network against China," he said. |
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