China has lodged a formal protest with Japan after a Japanese civilian aircraft allegedly entered the airspace over China’s Diaoyu Dao, escalating tensions between the two nations.
On Saturday, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao made a solemn representation to Japan’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Takehiro Funakoshi. According to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Japan, Ambassador Wu expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the incident, stating that the Japanese government’s allowance of the aircraft’s entry constituted a severe violation of China’s sovereignty.
“China has already taken necessary control measures in accordance with the law to warn and expel the aircraft,” the statement read. “We urge the Japanese side to recognize the seriousness of the situation and take practical measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.”
China asserts that Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are its inherent territory. The disputed islands, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, have long been a point of contention between the two countries.
The Chinese Embassy’s statement warned that if Japan engages in further provocative actions, China will “undoubtedly take firm countermeasures to resolutely safeguard its national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”
The incident adds to the ongoing tensions in the East China Sea, where both nations have competing claims. Observers are concerned that such incidents could escalate if not managed carefully.
Japan has yet to issue a public response to China’s protest.
