(Japan, May 4) – After a Japanese civilian aircraft entered the airspace over the Diaoyu Islands (referred to as the Senkaku Islands by Japan), Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao lodged a stern protest, urging Japan to recognize the severity of the incident and take measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Ambassador Wu emphasized that if Japan engages in further provocative actions, China will firmly respond to safeguard its national sovereignty and maritime rights.
According to the China Coast Guard, its spokesperson Liu Dejun stated that on the 3rd, during a routine patrol in the Diaoyu Islands waters, Chinese Coast Guard vessels identified a Japanese civilian aircraft unlawfully entering "China's Diaoyu Islands airspace" at 11:19 AM and leaving at 11:24 AM.
Liu Dejun highlighted that Chinese Coast Guard vessels promptly took necessary control measures and dispatched a shipborne helicopter to issue a warning and drive the aircraft away. He reiterated that the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islets are China's inherent territory, urging Japan to "immediately cease all illegal activities."
According to Japan's Kyodo News, Japan's 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters reported that around 12:20 PM on the 3rd, four Chinese Coast Guard ships equipped with machine guns entered waters near the Senkaku Islands. Subsequently, a Chinese helicopter was observed flying over the Senkaku Islands airspace, departing approximately 15 minutes later.
The report further stated that as of 1:00 PM on the same day, Japan's Coast Guard patrol vessels confirmed that the four Chinese ships had left the Senkaku Islands waters and entered the contiguous zone. During this time, Japanese patrol vessels instructed the Chinese ships to leave the area.