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China protests Japanese move

Tokyo approves oil and gas drilling in East China Sea

BEIJING: A Chinese Foreign Ministry official summoned a Japanese diplomat in Beijing on Friday to lodge solemn representations to the Japanese side and express "strong protest" against the Japanese Government's approval of a Japanese oil and gas company's drill request in the East China Sea.

The Japanese Government granted the Teikoku Oil Co. concessions to conduct experimental drilling in the East China Sea, Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Shoichi Nakagawa said on Thursday.

"A provocation"

Cui Tiankai, director of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Asian Department, told Chihiro Atsumi, Minister of the Japanese embassy in China, that such activity is a "severe provocation and violation" against China's sovereignty and interest, which is also against the rules in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Mr. Cui said China and Japan have not settled their demarcation in the East China Sea as they have disputes over demarcation there.

It is untenable for the Japanese side, employing its unilateral position on the so-called "middle line", to grant test drilling rights to Japanese enterprises in the disputed sea area.

Mr. Cui said the Chinese side reiterates clearly that it has never recognized the so-called "middle line" and it will never recognise the line.

He said the sea area to the east of the "middle line" is under dispute, and the Japanese side is not entitled to taking unilateral action in that area. If the Japanese side attempts to impose its unilateral action as a fact on the Chinese side, the Chinese side will stand firmly opposed to and will never accept it, said Mr. Cui. He said China and Japan should properly handle their disputes and actively explore resolution ways through dialogues and consultations on an equal footing, which is the important consensus reached between leaders of the two countries.

"Breach of sovereignty"

The Chinese side seriously requests the Japanese side, in the above-mentioned spirit, to correct its decision and stop any action that impairs China's sovereign rights and interests, Mr. Cui said.

The Chinese Embassy to Japan also lodged solemn representations to the Japanese Foreign Ministry on Friday, said sources with the Chinese Foreign Ministry. — Xinhua

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