China has recently passed a law allowing its coastguard to fire on foreign vessels in some circumstances, a change that provoked criticism from Japan. One of four Chinese coast guard vessels that sailed in what Japan sees as its own waters around the islands on Tuesday was equipped with what appeared to be a large gun, Bloomberg reported quoting Kato.
Japan, India’s key strategic partner in East Asia, is bearing the brunt from the Chinese aggression with Chinese coast guard vessels approaching Japanese trawlers near Senkaku islands for two straight days this week.
Following the development Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press meet on Tuesday that Japan had protested the incidents. Incidentally the development occurred amid disengagement along friction points Ladakh.
China, which has in turn protested what it says are unlawful moves by Japanese vessels near the islands, has sometimes appeared to use the escalation of its coastguard activities in the waters as a means of challenging Japanese actions, according to a Bloomberg report.
China has recently passed a law allowing its coastguard to fire on foreign vessels in some circumstances, a change that provoked criticism from Japan. One of four Chinese coast guard vessels that sailed in what Japan sees as its own waters around the islands on Tuesday was equipped with what appeared to be a large gun, Bloomberg reported quoting Kato.
Japanese Coast Guard officials say this is the first time a Chinese ship with a large artillery piece has entered Japan’s waters since the law took effect earlier this month.
