Disputed isles: China-Japan row flares up again

BEIJING: China-Japan sea dispute took a new turn with Tokyo summoning the Chinese ambassador on Thursday to reprimand him over Chinese ships entering its territorial waters. Four Chinese ships spent more than 24 hours in what Japan sees as its territorial waters at a time when Tokyo has been signalling its desire for a summit. 

The incursion was the latest in a series by Chinese government ships in recent months around the Senkaku islands, a potential flashpoint that some observers say could even lead to armed conflict. 

Beijing also claims the chain, which it calls the Diaoyus. The East China Sea archipelago is located in rich fishing grounds and is believed to harbour vast natural resources below its seabed. 

A group of four Chinese ships entered sections of the East China Sea near the disputed islands at 7.30 am on Wednesday, the Japanese coastguard said. The vessels, identified as belonging to China's newly created Coast Guard, entered the waters off the islands in the East China Sea and remained for more than 28 hours, Japan's Coast Guard said. 

One of the four vessels left the area on Wednesday evening, but it was soon replaced by another government ship, the coastguard said. The longest previous stay by Chinese vessels was about 14 hours in February, it added. 

After attending to the Japanese summons, China's acting ambassador Han Zhiqiang said, "The Chinese side argued it's... position and said it could not accept Japan's protest." 

On its part, China is upset over Japan's latest decision to unveil its biggest and most advanced war ship since World War II, a move that does not fit with Tokyo's pacifist ways in the past. The warship, a $1.2 billion helicopter carrier, aims to play a major role in disaster and rescue missions, as well as defending sea lanes and Japanese territory. "Japan should learn from history, adhere to its policy of selfdefence and abide by its promise of taking the road of peaceful development," the Chinese foreign ministry said. 

Beijing building highest wind farm in Tibet 

China is building the world's highest altitude wind farm at about 4,900 meters above sea level in Tibet. A local wind farm developer, Longyuan Power, has announced it will install 33 wind turbines in Naqu prefecture of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The People's Liberation Army earlier established oxygen enriched barracks in Naqu causing concern among Indian military experts because it has given Chinese troops a special advantage in an area where oxygen deficiency is the biggest enemy. When finished, the project will help ensure regular power supply in Naqu, and solve the transmitting electricity to the remote area, the company said. Longyuan said it has set up five of the turbines in the area.