Japan lodges protest against China's activity in disputed sea gas field
Tokyo is concerned that China may siphon off resources from beneath the Japanese side of the median line separating the two countries’ economic zones in the East China Sea
Japan has lodged a protest with China over its apparent deployment of drilling rigs near the median line separating the two countries’ economic zones in the East China Sea, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday.
“It is extremely regrettable that China is proceeding with unilateral development in the area, while the boundary between Japan and China in the East China Sea is not yet fixed,” Kishida, who doubles as defence minister, said.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government protested through diplomatic channels after confirming China’s activity last month, Kishida said, adding Tokyo will continue to call on Beijing to stop the development of gas fields near the median line.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, the government’s top spokesman, said that Japan is urging China to swiftly resume stalled negotiations based on a 2008 bilateral accord on joint gas development in the area.
So far, Beijing has developed 16 structures on the Chinese side of the median line between the shorelines of the two countries. Tokyo is concerned that China may siphon off resources from beneath the Japanese side of the line.
It is extremely regrettable that China is proceeding with unilateral development in the area, while the boundary between Japan and China in the East China Sea is not yet fixed