Chinese armed ships approach Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands

(Baonghean.vn) - On December 23, the Japanese coast guard said they discovered an armed Chinese ship approaching the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands.

Chinese coast guard armed vessels were spotted near the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. Photo: AP

Reuters news agency quoted a Japanese coast guard officer as saying that this was the first time they had discovered an armed Chinese coast guard vessel around the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands.

Sino-Japanese relations have long been mired in a territorial dispute over small, uninhabited islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. Patrol ships and fighter jets from both sides frequently shadow each other in the area around the islands, leading to concerns of an accidental clash or collision.

Earlier this year, Japan also criticized China's oil and gas exploration in the East China Sea, posting online images of Chinese drilling rigs and other equipment.

On December 22, the government and parties in Japan's ruling coalition approved a budget plan worth 96.72 trillion yen (798 billion USD) for the 2016 fiscal year. Accordingly, Japan will increase defense spending in 2016, with the expected expenditure exceeding 5 trillion yen.

Phuong Thao

(According to Reuters/AP)