- Title: CHINA: China says current tensions caused by Japan
- Date: 11th January 2013
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JANUARY 11, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN HONG LEI WALKING IN FOR REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN HONG LEI SAYING: "The current straining of Chinese-Japanese relations is completely that of Japan's causing. Japan should express sincerity, face reality and properly solve the relevant issues with China." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN HONG LEI SAYING: "According to (my) understanding, it is routine for Chinese military planes to fly in airspace related to the East China Sea. We strongly oppose Japan's groundless exaggeration straining of the current state affairs." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 26th January 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAD5VROTJMKLEHOJTEIGVNXT63A
- Story Text: China's foreign ministry reiterated its stance on Friday (January 11) that the current strains in Sino-Japanese relations are Japan's causing, demanding that Japan must "face reality."
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a speech that China was wrong in allowing last year's violent protests over the recent territorial disputes to spread.
"The current straining of Chinese-Japanese relations is completely that of Japan's causing. Japan should express sincerity, face reality and properly solve the relevant issues with China," said Hong Lei, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman at a regular news conference.
Chinese state media reported that China's Ministry of Defense confirmed it had sent out two J-10 fighter planes Thursday (January 10) to patrol area near the disputed islands in response to Japan's recent scrambling of F-15 fighters the same day.
"According to (my) understanding, it is routine for Chinese military planes to fly in airspace related to the East China Sea. We strongly oppose Japan's groundless exaggeration straining of the current state affairs," Hong added.
Japan's Defence Ministry has scrambled F-15 fighter jets several times in recent weeks to intercept Chinese marine surveillance planes approaching the disputed islands near Taiwan.
Sino-Japanese relations have deteriorated sharply since the Japanese government's purchase of East China Sea islets, known as the Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese, from a private Japanese owner last September.
Abe has repeatedly said there is no room for negotiation on the islands, and has said he would boost defence spending to counter China's growing military clout. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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