Typhoon prevents China from patrolling the disputed Senkaku Islands

This Chinese people Due to the approaching typhoon, the Coast Guard’s daily patrols around the disputed Senkaku Islands were interrupted for the first time in more than five months.

The white boat of the Beijing Maritime Police Department last appeared on Monday, and now it has ended the record of 157 consecutive days. Activities around the chain of uninhabited islands, China calls it Diaoyu Island, Taiwan as Diaoyutai.

According to a report by Kyodo News on Wednesday, Japanese Coast Guard officials said that the interruption may be due to Typhoon In-Fa. In-Fa is upgraded by a tropical storm and is expected to sweep East China Sea Between Wednesday and Thursday.

According to Taiwan Central Meteorological Administration and Taiwan Meteorological Administration American armiesIn the next few days, In-Fa’s joint typhoon warning center will pass through Taiwan and turn to the coast of China.

The storm will pass through the Senkaku Islands, 100 nautical miles north of Taiwan.

The 11th Regional Headquarters of the Japan Coast Guard in Naha stated that since February 13, it has been sailing in the continuum or territorial waters of Japanese-controlled islands every day. Monday night at 10 o’clock. Okinawa.

157 consecutive days is the longest since 2012, when the Japanese government “nationalized” the islands following prolonged protests in Beijing and Taipei. The previous record of 111 consecutive days was due to China’s intensified “grey area” activities near the Senkaku Islands last year.

The Chinese Coast Guard patrols around the island are not only regular, but the duration is also increasing. On July 12, two Chinese government ships stayed in the territorial waters around the Japanese islands for 47 hours.

Japanese officials have Expressed shock at the Coast Guard invasionThis is often accompanied by harassment of fishing boats operating around the island chain.

Tokyo is particularly concerned that China enacted a new maritime police law in February, allowing its government ships to fire on foreign ships believed to have invaded Chinese waters.

At the same time, China insists that patrolling around these islands is “Legal and legal,” and its new Coast Guard Law is “a regular part of domestic legislation.”

In its Annual National Defense White Paper On July 13, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi published an opening article expounding China’s attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the East and Japan. South China Sea area.

The report includes for the first time urgent concerns about Taiwan’s security Increased military tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

On July 5, Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso stated that China’s attack on Taiwan may constitute “Existential threat“When I arrived in Japan, I asked to defend the island together with the U.S. military.

Tokyo’s concerns about its security environment stem in particular from the economic and military growth of its East Asian neighbor, China. Since the second term of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, its efforts to strengthen security contacts with like-minded allies outside the United States have become more apparent.

In September, five Japanese ports will host United KingdomThe Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier strike group is making its first seven-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region. During a visit to Tokyo on Tuesday, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed plans to permanently deploy two British warships to Asia.

Royal Navy River Class Offshore Patrol Ship HMS Spey And HMS Tamar The British Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that it will deploy to the Indo-Pacific region at the end of August.

Wallace said in an accompanying statement: “As we witnessed the shift in power to the Indo-Pacific region, we are committed to working with our partners here to defend democratic values, respond to common threats and ensure the security of our country. “