The Chinese marine survey ship that confronted a Japan Coast Guard vessel last week in what Japan says was its side of the border was not acting illegally, Cheng Yonghua, Beijing's new ambassador to Tokyo, reiterated Tuesday, urging both nations to resolve the dispute over the East China Sea demarcation.
Japan lodged a protest with China after Beijing released a report justifying the May 3 actions of the Chinese seabed research ship to chase off the coast guard vessel, which Tokyo claims was navigating within the nation's exclusive economic zone.
In a speech in Tokyo, Cheng pointed out that the median line was drawn by Japan and is not recognized by China.