BEIJING, May 06 (News On Japan) –
China has pushed again in opposition to Japan’s protest over a latest incursion by a Chinese helicopter into Japanese airspace close to the Senkaku Islands, claiming as an alternative that it was a Japanese civilian plane that violated Chinese airspace.
The incident occurred on May third, when a helicopter launched from a China Coast Guard vessel flew into Japanese territorial airspace within the neighborhood of the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. In response, the Japanese authorities lodged a proper protest with Beijing.
However, on May 4th, Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Department of Asian Affairs at China’s Foreign Ministry, summoned Deputy Chief of Mission Yokochi on the Japanese Embassy in Beijing to say that “a Japanese civilian aircraft entered Chinese airspace.” China issued a proper criticism in return.
According to the Japanese Embassy, Yokochi firmly rejected the declare and reiterated Japan’s protest over the Chinese helicopter’s violation, urging robust measures to stop any recurrence.
The China Coast Guard had additionally introduced on May third {that a} Japanese civilian aircraft had first violated Chinese airspace, prompting them to reply with a helicopter dispatch to drive it away.
Source: FNN