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Japan has protested China’s deployment of a gas drilling vessel in the East China Sea, citing unresolved maritime boundaries and warning against unilateral resource development amid already strained bilateral ties
Japan has formally protested to China over the presence of a mobile gas drilling vessel operating in the East China Sea, reikindling a long-running dispute over maritime boundaries and energy resources at a time when relations between the two neighbours are already under strain.
Tokyo said on Thursday that the vessel had been spotted in waters believed to be rich in gas deposits, an area where Japan and China have competing claims. The development comes against the backdrop of heightened diplomatic tensions following recent remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD“We have confirmed that a mobile drilling vessel has been moored and anchored in waters” on the Chinese side of the two countries’ median line, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said, as quoted by AFP.
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Japan’s coastguard had issued a navigation warning as early as January 2, Kihara added, signalling concerns over maritime activity in the area.
Unresolved maritime boundariesAt the heart of the dispute is the lack of agreement over where the two countries’ exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and continental shelves begin and end.
Japan argues that a median line between the two nations should define the boundary, while China maintains that the border should lie closer to Japan, factoring in the continental shelf and other seabed features.
“The boundaries of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East China Sea have yet to be determined. Under these circumstances, it is deeply regrettable that China continues its unilateral development activities,” Kihara said.
“We have strongly protested to China through diplomatic channels.”
According to Japan’s Kyodo news agency, the operation is believed to involve exploratory drilling for a new gas field. The gas field covered under a 2008 joint development agreement lies in waters where the EEZ claims of both countries overlap.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADJapan and China had agreed nearly two decades ago to cooperate on oil and gas development in the East China Sea, but talks collapsed in 2010 and have never resumed, largely due to rising political and security tensions.
Those strains have intensified in recent months following Takaichi’s comments suggesting Japan could intervene militarily if Taiwan were attacked. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out using force, reacted sharply, urging its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan.
Beijing has also tightened export controls on items bound for Japan that could have potential military applications, a move that could affect access to key materials, including rare earth minerals.
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