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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Senkaku islands dispute escalates as China sends out patrol ships | Senkaku islands dispute escalates as China sends out patrol ships |
| (21 days later) | |
| A territorial dispute between China and Japan over a group of islands in the East China Sea has intensified after Beijing sent out two patrol ships in a show of anger after Tokyo bought the largely barren outcrops from their private owners. | A territorial dispute between China and Japan over a group of islands in the East China Sea has intensified after Beijing sent out two patrol ships in a show of anger after Tokyo bought the largely barren outcrops from their private owners. |
| The paramilitary China Marine Surveillance has drawn up plans to safeguard China's sovereignty of the islands and the ships were sent to assert those claims, said China's official news agency, Xinhua. The marine agency's ships are often lightly armed. The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are also claimed by Taiwan. | The paramilitary China Marine Surveillance has drawn up plans to safeguard China's sovereignty of the islands and the ships were sent to assert those claims, said China's official news agency, Xinhua. The marine agency's ships are often lightly armed. The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are also claimed by Taiwan. |
| Tokyo announced a deal this week with the Japanese family it recognises as the owners. The chief cabinet secretary, Osamu Fujimura, told reporters the government had budgeted 2.05bn yen (£1.6m) for the purchase "to maintain the Senkakus peacefully and stably". The public broadcaster NHK said the government and the family had signed a deal on Tuesday. | Tokyo announced a deal this week with the Japanese family it recognises as the owners. The chief cabinet secretary, Osamu Fujimura, told reporters the government had budgeted 2.05bn yen (£1.6m) for the purchase "to maintain the Senkakus peacefully and stably". The public broadcaster NHK said the government and the family had signed a deal on Tuesday. |
| A spokesman for the Chinese defence ministry, Geng Yansheng, said in a statement: "The determination and the will of the Chinese government and military to safeguard their territorial integrity are firm. We are closely monitoring the situation and reserve the right to take necessary measures." | A spokesman for the Chinese defence ministry, Geng Yansheng, said in a statement: "The determination and the will of the Chinese government and military to safeguard their territorial integrity are firm. We are closely monitoring the situation and reserve the right to take necessary measures." |
| Japan has claimed the islands since 1895. The US took jurisdiction after the second world war and turned them over to Japan in 1972. But Beijing sees the purchase as an affront to its claims and its past calls for negotiations. | Japan has claimed the islands since 1895. The US took jurisdiction after the second world war and turned them over to Japan in 1972. But Beijing sees the purchase as an affront to its claims and its past calls for negotiations. |
| Japan's coastguard said it had not taken any special measures in response to the Chinese patrol boats. | Japan's coastguard said it had not taken any special measures in response to the Chinese patrol boats. |
| Reporting in China's state media has been heated. Reactions to Japanese actions are sometimes overstated in China, and a commentator in the People's Liberation Army Daily, the main newspaper of China's military, called Japan's move "the most blatant challenge to China's sovereignty since the end of the second world war". China has also started broadcasting a daily marine weather report for the islands. | Reporting in China's state media has been heated. Reactions to Japanese actions are sometimes overstated in China, and a commentator in the People's Liberation Army Daily, the main newspaper of China's military, called Japan's move "the most blatant challenge to China's sovereignty since the end of the second world war". China has also started broadcasting a daily marine weather report for the islands. |
| Protesters gathered outside the Japanese embassy in Beijing chanting: "Japan, get out of China." A car drove towards the embassy's gate but did not make a serious attempt to ram it and was stopped by police. | Protesters gathered outside the Japanese embassy in Beijing chanting: "Japan, get out of China." A car drove towards the embassy's gate but did not make a serious attempt to ram it and was stopped by police. |
| Xinhua reported that people had also taken to the streets to protest in two cities in the south and east. Several waved placards and the Chinese flag and shouted, "Defend the Diaoyu islands," outside the Japanese consulate general in southern Guangzhou, Xinhua said. About 200 people marched in Weihai in Shandong province, singing the national anthem, it said. | Xinhua reported that people had also taken to the streets to protest in two cities in the south and east. Several waved placards and the Chinese flag and shouted, "Defend the Diaoyu islands," outside the Japanese consulate general in southern Guangzhou, Xinhua said. About 200 people marched in Weihai in Shandong province, singing the national anthem, it said. |
| Taiwan's foreign ministry also lodged a strong protest with Japan. It called the purchase of the islands an "extremely unfriendly move" that "not only harms the longtime co-operation between Taiwan and Japan but will also aggravate regional tensions in east Asia". | Taiwan's foreign ministry also lodged a strong protest with Japan. It called the purchase of the islands an "extremely unfriendly move" that "not only harms the longtime co-operation between Taiwan and Japan but will also aggravate regional tensions in east Asia". |
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