CHINA NEW BATTLE SHIP...COPYING AGAIN?

CHINA NEW BATTLE SHIP---COPYING AGAIN?

Several patrol ships of PRC that were brought to the area of the disputed islands in advance did not intervene in the situation, local media reported. On September 25, before the worsening of the territorial dispute with Japan, China also announced the deployment for military service of the first aircraft carrier "Liaoning". It is not ruled out that this was not a coincidence. As stated by the Ministry of Defense of the PRC, the aircraft carrier would play an important role in protecting the interests of the country and increase the combat capability of the Chinese navy. China bought the hull of the ship from Ukraine in 1998, and its subsequent modernization was conducted in the shipyards in Dalian, Liaoning Province, hence the name of the aircraft. "Liaoning" made its first appearance at sea in August of 2011, "International French radio" (RFI) reported.

The tensions between Tokyo and Beijing were obvious from the beginning of September, when the Japanese government announced the purchase of three Senkaku Islands that were private property, and their nationalization. The move was seen in China as a gross violation of the Chinese sovereignty. Then the Foreign Ministry said that it was considering the deal illegal and void. The United States have refrained from direct intervention in the conflict, but hinted at the inadmissibility of force on part of China, which would be considered as a threat to the U.S. national security.

The question of the nationality of the archipelago is an intractable problem, since the disputed territories have repeatedly changed hands. Since 1895, Japan has virtually owned the islands, and after World War II, they were temporarily occupied by the United States (in 1972 they were returned to Japan.)

Official Beijing says the Diaoyu has always been an integral part of the Chinese empire. "Diaoyu Islands are traditionally the Chinese territory, as evidenced by the historical, geographical and legal documents. China has an indisputable sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands," said the White Papers published on September 25, 2012. Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi called the disputed Senkaku Islands "sacred territory of China since ancient times" at a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba.