China is continuing to pressure neighbors with outsized territorial claims, this time sending Coast Guard ships close to disputed islands claimed by Japan over the weekend.
In the second such incident in less than a week, four Chinese Coast Guard vessels entered waters surrounding an island chain controlled by Japan and known as Senkaku in Japanese, but are known as Diaoyu in China.
A statement from China’s State Oceanic Administration only said the four Chinese coast guard vessels were “patrolling in Chinese waters off the Diaoyu Islands.”
Tokyo has regularly complained via diplomatic channels that China’s repeated incursions into waters it does not control are a constant source of tension in the region.
The island chain is located in waters believed to harbor vast undersea natural resources. China has claimed the resources but Japan controls the island chain.
Why it’s on our radar: Information in this article helps satisfy Priority Intelligence Requirement 2: What are the latest indicators of a U.S.-China conflict? Each week in our Strategic Intelligence Summary, we gauge the likelihood and scope of conflict with Russia, China, North Korea, and in the Middle East, and track the latest developments in each region. Subscribe here to receive our premium intelligence products prepared by Intelligence and special operations veterans.
