ID :
375034
Thu, 07/23/2015 - 01:45
Auther :

Japan Releases Photos of China's Offshore Gas Field Work

Tokyo, July 22 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government released on the Foreign Ministry's website Wednesday a map and photos of China's gas field work near the so-called intermediate line between the two countries in the East China Sea. The government has identified a total of 16 facilities, including 12 new offshore platforms that have been built since June 2013, on the Chinese side of the intermediate line, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference. Suga urged China to stop the development work, saying, "We find China's unilateral resource development extremely regrettable." The release included 14 aerial photos taken by Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force of offshore platforms as well as a map showing the locations of the facilities. According to the map, all of the facilities, including an offshore platform in the Shirakaba gas field, are located on the Chinese side of the intermediate line. Suga cited growing public attention in Japan and abroad over China's unilateral moves to change the status quo as a reason for the decision to release the information. Tokyo has repeatedly criticized Beijing's unilateral gas development for breaching an agreement reached in a bilateral summit meeting in 2008. Japan hopes that displaying the moves by China to the international community will act as a warning to the country, officials said. At the summit meeting in June 2008, then Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and then Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed to jointly develop gas fields in the East China Sea, including the Shirakaba field. Working-level talks on concluding a bilateral treaty on the joint development began in July 2010 but have been suspended since Japan-China relations rapidly deteriorated due to a collision between a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese patrol ships near the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea in September the same year. China also claims the islands, which it calls Diaoyu. Suga brushed aside concerns over the possible military use of the offshore facilities. He said he believes the facilities are used for mining at the moment. Abe is considering visiting China in September. China intends to invite Abe to a ceremony scheduled to take place in Beijing on Sept. 3 to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory over Japan. Suga denied that the release of the information on China's gas field development work will affect bilateral summit diplomacy. "We hope to ensure improved ties, based on the concept of a strategic relationship for mutual benefit," Suga said. END

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