Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Tuesday that the country has removed a buoy it installed within Japan's exclusive economic zone around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
The Japanese-administered islands are claimed by China, where they are known as Diaoyu.
The buoy in question has completed its task at the site, Guo said at a news conference, noting that relevant Chinese agencies have implemented voluntary and technical adjustment regarding the buoy according to the actual need of science and observation.
The Japan Coast Guard said in a navigation warning on its website the same day that a Chinese buoy northeast of Taiwan has ceased to exist.
The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping has been working to improve his country's relations with Japan, such as reaching an agreement toward the restart of fishery product imports from the neighboring country.
The removal of the buoy may be part of China's moves toward resolving issues between the two countries.
In December 2024, however, a new Chinese buoy was found to have been installed within Japan's EEZ south of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa.
The Japanese side has been calling on China to remove it.
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