🔗 Share this article China Sends Maritime Patrol Ships to Senkaku Islands Amid Tensions with Tokyo Beijing has deployed its maritime law enforcement through the maritime area of the Senkaku islands and unmanned aerial vehicles past outlying Japan's territory as Beijing ramps up strains following the Japanese prime minister’s comments regarding the island of Taiwan. Patrol Operations On Sunday, the Chinese coast guard stated that its vessels conducted a “lawful patrol operation” through the waters of the Senkaku, which are under the control of Tokyo but also claimed by Beijing. “Chinese maritime patrol unit 1307 performed surveillance within the maritime jurisdiction of the Diaoyu islands. This was a legitimate rights enforcement activity conducted by the Chinese maritime authorities to uphold its rights and interests,” officials declared. Bilateral Tensions China and Japan have repeatedly faced off around the disputed territory but the recent developments come amid an escalating political dispute after the Japanese prime minister, the Japanese official, addressed lawmakers that if China attack the self-governing island of Taiwan it might provoke a armed reaction from Japan. That sparked an angry response from Beijing, which has signalled it expects a retraction from the Japanese official. Island's Stance Beijing asserts the island as its own territory and intends to annex it under what it terms “reunification”. It has left open the use of force. The island's administration and people categorically refuse the prospect of Chinese rule – choosing to preserve the current situation without explicitly declaring themselves independent, but pledging to protect their sovereignty if required. An attack or invasion by China would risk escalating into a international confrontation, potentially involving the United States and other partner nations including Tokyo, which has territory just 68 miles from Taiwan. Military Activity On the island, the military authorities reported this weekend that it had detected three dozen PLA planes, seven navy ships and one “official” ship, which was probably the maritime patrol, operating around the island over the past 24 hours. Maps provided by the ministry showed up to three drones operating near Taiwan and the Japanese islands off its north-east coast, seeming to travel particularly close to the nearby Japanese island. PLA movements there are not rare, but uncommon, and Chinese military activity in Taiwan’s air defence identification zone generally has been low in recent weeks. Late on Saturday, the ministry said China had been carrying out another “joint combat patrol” to “harass the airspace and sea around us”. It added Taiwan had sent its own aircraft and ships to track the developments. Taiwan reports such Chinese patrols a couple of times a month as part of what Taipei says is an ongoing military pressure campaign. Diplomatic Pressure Japan has been facing mounting pressure from Beijing since the Japanese official made her remarks, with China’s consul general in Osaka prompting a formal protest from Tokyo by stating that “those who interfere will face consequences”. China then called in Japan's diplomat for the first occasion since 2023, and China’s defence ministry declared that any Tokyo's involvement would be doomed to fail. Travel and Education Advisory On Friday, Beijing advised its people to avoid visiting Japan, prompting Tokyo to urge Beijing to take “suitable actions”, though it provided no details. Three Chinese airlines said on Saturday that tickets to Japan could be cancelled without penalty. In another escalation, China’s government on the weekend advised students to rethink education plans in Japan, citing what it characterized as an unstable security environment. While the advice does not amount to a ban, a dramatic reduction in the number of Chinese students could have a detrimental effect on Japanese universities. A historic high of over 336,000 international students were studying in Japan last year, according to official data. They featured over 123,000 learners from China – by far the largest demographic. Official Commentary Late on Saturday, a official press commentary accused Takaichi of staging a political stunt that was “both reckless and fundamentally flawed”. “A conflict between Japan and China would not be a limited skirmish; it would likely draw in other nations, including the United States, and could quickly spiral into a major confrontation with unimaginable consequences.” Policy Standpoints The administration in Taipei says only its people can decide its future. Officials in Tokyo have traditionally refrained from publicly mentioning Taiwan when addressing potential conflicts, maintaining a “deliberate vagueness” also preferred by Tokyo’s main security ally, the US. Nevertheless, Beijing's governing party says the unification of Taiwan with the mainland China is “inevitable”, and portrays dissent as provocative. As it advances toward potential armed takeover, China has also been increasing its political operations and its statements towards Taiwan.