China 'exercising self-restraint' against Japan ships near Senkakus
March 13, 2021 (Mainichi Japan)
This supplied photo shows a Chinese coast guard vessel equipped with guns, which was spotted near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. (Photo courtesy of 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters/Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- China has told Japan that Beijing is "exercising self-restraint" in operating its coast guard ships near the Senkaku Islands amid rising security concerns over its new law which allows such ships to use weapons against foreign vessels, Japanese government sources said Saturday.
Japan in response criticized Chinese coast guard vessels spotted around the Japanese-controlled, Chinese-claimed islands in the East China Sea before and after the new law took effect on Feb. 1, saying that the islands are Japan's inherent territory, the sources said.