Beijing warns Japanese fishing boat in Japan-held islands claimed by China

China says its coast guard issued a warning to a Japanese fishing boat operating in waters surrounding uninhabited East China Sea islands that are controlled by Japan but claimed by China.
The warning is the latest event pointing to lingering tensions between the sides, just over a week after China’s senior diplomat, Wang Yi, made controversial comments suggesting China, Japan and South Korea should establish an alliance based on cultural and racial similarities in order to exclude the US and other Western-style democracies.
State media ran a statement just before midnight Thursday quoting coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu saying a Chinese vessel issued a “warning to depart” to the Japanese fishing boat Zuiho Maru on Thursday near the the island known as Chiwei Yu in Chinese and Taisho in Japanese.
The tiny islet is the easternmost of the eight islands making up the Senkaku chain, known as Diaoyu in Chinese.