Japan seeks more talks in dispute with China

Oct. 4, 2005
Japan has proposed to China to hold further talks on Oct. 19 in an effort to resolve their dispute over oil and gas drilling in the East China Sea.

Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent

LOS ANGELES, Oct 4 -- Japan has proposed to China to hold further talks on Oct. 19 in an effort to resolve their dispute over oil and gas drilling in the East China Sea.

The proposal, which China has not yet confirmed, came after the two sides failed to achieve a breakthrough during a round of talks in Tokyo on Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

At those meetings, Japan urged China to stop its development of the disputed gas fields and called for joint exploitation of natural resources in the area.

China said it would respond to Japan's proposals at the next meeting, the fourth round of talks since last fall.

Japanese officials said their proposed joint development plan covers four Chinese gas fields near what Tokyo says is the median line in the East China Sea. The fields include Chunxiao, Tianwaitian, Duanqiao, and Longjing.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Minister Shi Hwei-yow vowed on Oct. 3 to reinforce his country's sovereignty over oil and gas reserves in the East China Sea by periodically sending patrol vessels to the area.

Stating that the gas and oil reserves in the disputed area are under Republic of China (Taiwanese) sovereignty, Shi said the CGA will dispatch patrol vessels "to protect the Republic of China's maritime rights in the national economic waters and to avoid practices undermining the country's interests by other countries from taking root."

He said the move would also be significant in terms of proclaiming internationally that Taiwan has not given up its rights in the East China Sea.

Last month, the Chinese government confirmed it sent warships to the disputed area of the East China Sea on Sept. 29, a day ahead of its talks with Japan over territorial claims to waters in which both sides want to drill (OGJ Online, Sept. 30, 2005).

That decision came after Japan announced plans to step up surveillance of its disputed maritime border region in the East China Sea to prevent China from developing gas fields in the area (OGJ Online, Sept. 27, 2005).

Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].