China-Japan relations: can Beijing stop other countries getting dragged into their island dispute?
- Tokyo this week accused China of breaching international law with its activities around the Diaoyu, or Senkaku, Islands
- One observer said Beijing needed to handle the issue with care as Japan was seeking support from its allies
China has been warned that it risks dragging other countries into its dispute with Japan in the East China Sea if it does not handle the situation carefully.
Last week Japan’s foreign ministry for the first time accused China of breaching international law with its activities around the Diaoyu Islands, also known as the Senkakus, where Chinese ships are accused of entering Japanese territorial waters.
Its annual diplomatic blue book also said that China’s expansion of its military capabilities and efforts to change the status quo in the region had caused “strong concern” among the international community.
Zhang Jifeng, a specialist in Japanese studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the current tension over the islands was partly down to the US and China should handle the issue with care.
Zhang said that while China has to stand firm on its territorial integrity, it should be careful not to drag other countries into the confrontation.
06:24
Explained: the history of China’s territorial disputes