China says joint patrol with Russia was on high seas, not in Japan’s EEZ

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said Thursday that the recently concluded China-Russia joint maritime patrol was conducted on the high seas and not in Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Japan’s Defense Ministry said four Chinese and Russian naval vessels sailed near Okinotorishima, a remote Pacific atoll that Tokyo regards as its southernmost island, and that a Chinese guided-missile destroyer also conducting a live-fire drill in waters Japan considers part of its EEZ.

Jiang rejected Japan’s claim over Okinotorishima, saying the feature is a reef that cannot generate an EEZ under international law, Chinese daily Global Times reported.

"Japan falsely treats the reef as an island and claims an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf on that basis. Such claims hold no legal ground whatsoever," Jiang said.

Chinese state media reported Wednesday that the China-Russia maritime patrol had concluded with the naval formation arriving in Vladivostok, Russia.

The patrol was part of the two militaries’ annual cooperation plan and aimed to enhance their joint operational capabilities and ability to address maritime security threats.

"The relevant operations conducted by China and Russia are consistent with international law and customary international law," Jiang said.

Separately, Jiang commented on maritime tensions with the Philippines, saying that "defense and security cooperation among relevant countries should not target any third party or undermine regional peace and stability."

His comments came after the US, Japan and the Philippines conducted a multilateral maritime cooperative activity in the South China Sea from July 21-25.

"Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. The territorial scope of the Philippines is defined by a series of international treaties, and Huangyan Dao lies outside that scope," Jiang said.

The disputed feature is known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Scarborough Shoal internationally.

The Chinese military will "safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests with concrete actions, while upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea," the spokesperson said.