Japan Protests China's New Structure In East China Sea

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) TOKYO, Aug 26 (KUNA) -- Japan has lodged a strong protest with China after confirming Beijing's move to install a new structure on the Chinese side of the median line in the East China Sea, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tuesday.
"It is extremely regrettable that a new structure has been confirmed while the boundary of the Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf in the East China Sea has not yet been delimited," Hayashi told a press conference.
"I urge China stop unilateral development and attempts at creating faits accomplis," the top government spokesman said, reiterating Tokyo's call for an early resumption of negotiations to implement the 2008 agreement.
In 2008, the two countries agreed to cooperate on the development of natural resources there, but negotiations have stalled since 2010.
The Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the government has recently confirmed that China has initiated an installation of a new structure on the west side of the geographical equidistance line between the two countries in the East China Sea.
Masaaki Kanai, Director-General of the ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, issued a strong protest to Shi Yong, Deputy Chief of Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, strongly urging China for an early resumption of the negotiations on the implementation of the bilateral "June 2008 Agreement," according to the ministry.
China has built 20 structures close to a Japan-proposed boundary so far.
Although all the facilities are located on the Chinese side of the Japanese-claimed median line, Japan is concerned that the structures would be linked to the Japanese side of the median line. (end)
mk

MENAFN26082025000071011013ID1109976191