Defense & Security

China moving to build structure in East China Sea

Courtesy of Defense Ministry
Moves to transport a foundation for a new structure are seen on the western side of the Japan-China median line in the East China Sea.

Jiji Press

15:03 JST, June 18, 2022

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The Foreign Ministry said Friday that it has confirmed moves by China to transport a foundation for a new structure on the western side of the Japan-China median line in the East China Sea.

Tokyo had already confirmed the existence of 17 Chinese structures, including an excavating facility, built in the area.

Takehiro Funakoshi, director-general of the ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, expressed his deep regret over China’s unilateral development in the sea, over the phone with a senior official at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo.

The Japanese and Chinese governments agreed in 2008 to jointly develop a natural gas field in the East China Sea. Talks on details have stalled, however, and China has been moving to develop the area unilaterally.