Japan concerned over China's establishment of districts in East Sea
Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi has voiced his concerns over China’s establishment of districts to administer the Paracel (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago) and Spratly islands (Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago) in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea), Japan’s Kyodo News reported.
Hanoi (VNA) – JapaneseMinister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi has voiced his concerns overChina’s establishment of districts to administer the Paracel (Vietnam’s HoangSa archipelago) and Spratly islands (Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago) in theEast Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea), Japan’s Kyodo Newsreported.
During a phone call with his Chinesecounterpart Wang Yi on April 21, the Japanese Foreign Minister also protestedagainst China’s sending of ships into the waters near the disputed islands inthe East China Sea, which are now under the management of Japan and calledSenkaku, but they are called Diaoyu by China.
“We condemn all acts that raisetensions in the area,” Motegi told a press conference.
Chinese ships have intruded in thewaters near the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands seven times this year, most recently onApril 17 when four China coast guard vessels sailed through the area for about90 minutes before leaving./.
Vietnam strongly protests the establishment of the so-called “Sansha city” and related acts as they seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, the spokesperson of Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang said on April 19.
China’s announcement of the establishment of the so-called “Xisha district” (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago) and “Nansha district" (Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago) under “Sansha city” is “a provocation, illegal under international law,” said Professor Carl Thayer from Australia’s University of New South Wales on April 19.
Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang on April 21 replied to reporters’ questions about the recent complex situation in some ASEAN countries’ territorial waters.
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A China marine surveillance ship (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
