China’s Boldest Move Yet in Senkaku Waters?

June 23, 2025: Tensions in the East China Sea continue to escalate as Chinese vessels have patrolled the waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands for a record-breaking 216 consecutive days, according to the Japan Coast Guard as reported by Taipei Times.

The uninhabited islets—known as Senkaku in Japan, Diaoyutai in Taiwan, and also claimed by China—have long been a flashpoint in regional disputes. Japan currently administers the islands, but Chinese coast guard ships have maintained a steady presence in the surrounding waters, particularly in the “contiguous zone,” just beyond Japan’s territorial boundaries.

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The continued presence of Chinese ships has intensified regional concerns, especially following joint Japan-US-Philippines naval drills held near Japan’s southwestern coast—the first such exercise conducted in Japanese waters.

In a broader show of strength, China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier, escorted by missile destroyers and a combat supply ship, was recently detected 300 km southwest of Minamitori, Japan’s easternmost island—marking the first time a Chinese carrier has entered that region of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

China’s expanding naval footprint is prompting Japan to deepen its security ties with the United States and the Philippines, amid fears of increasing Chinese assertiveness in the Pacific.

Though Japanese officials said a message was conveyed to Beijing over the vessel activity, it remains unclear whether a formal diplomatic protest has been lodged.