Showdown in East China Sea as China and Japan trade warnings

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http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC120915-0000030/China,-Japan-exchange-warnings

Chinese and Japanese government ships exchanged warnings yesterday in waters near disputed islands in the East China Sea, while Tokyo called on Beijing to protect its citizens amid anti-Japan protests and reported assaults in China.

In an attempt to assert its sovereignty, China sent six surveillance ships into what Japan says are its territorial waters.

Japanese coast guard ships radioed warnings to the Chinese vessels, which later sailed out to the area known as the contiguous zone.

Japan controls the islands - called Senkaku by Tokyo and Diaoyu by Beijing - but China does not recognise those claims.

State-controlled China Central Television repeatedly played footage of a Chinese Marine Surveillance officer aboard one of the ships radioing the Japanese vessels to demand they leave.

"The actions of your ships violate China's sovereignty and rights," the officer was shown saying.

"Any unilateral act from your side regarding the Diaoyu islands and its affiliated islands is illegal and invalid. Please stop any infringing acts. Otherwise, your side will bear the consequences caused by your actions."

Anti-Japan rallies have since been held in several Chinese cities, a number of private and official cultural exchange programmes were cancelled and government officials have hinted at curbing purchase of Japanese goods.