China warns Japan of basing officials in disputed islands

China on Tuesday warned Japan against its ‘provocative’ plan to station officials in islands in the East China Sea at the centre of a bitter dispute, saying it will resolutely defend its territorial sovereignty.

‘We are severely concerned about the remarks made by the Japanese officials regarding our territorial sovereignty. We are resolute and determined in safeguarding it,’ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing here, answering questions about Japan's statement about its plans to station officials at the disputed islands, called Diaoyu by China and Senkakus by Japan.

‘We will not tolerate any of our any provocative actions against our territorial sovereignty. Japan should bear the consequences of all its provocative actions,’ Hong said. He was reacting to reported comments by Chief Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga that the government headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made ‘resolute but calm responses to defend our territory, territorial waters and airspace decisively’, he said.

‘Our country will never make a concession on the matter of sovereignty,’ he said, according to media reports from Tokyo. Asked whether Japan might station government officials on the islands to reinforce Japan's claims, Suga said, ‘That is one option’.

A year ago, the Japanese government bought three of the isles in the East China Sea from a private Japanese party, inflaming anger in China where there were big anti-Japan protests over the purchase. Since then, China deployed its naval and coast guard vessels which aggressively patrolled the waters jostling with that of Japanese Coast Guard vessels. The two sides also scrambled jets few times but avoided any direct hostilities so far.