Source: TH
Context: China rejected Japan’s protest over its development of gas fields in the disputed East China Sea, where both nations’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) claims overlap.
About the East China Sea
What it is?
- A marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean, bounded by China, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.
- Known for its geopolitical disputes, rich fisheries, and potential oil & natural gas reserves.
- Plays a central role in maritime security and freedom of navigation in Asia.
- Lies east of China’s coast and south of Japan’s Kyushu & Ryukyu Islands.
- Connected to:
- Yellow Sea (to the north) via the Korea Strait.
- South China Sea (to the south) via the Taiwan Strait.
- Pacific Ocean (to the east).
Key Features
- Area: ~1,249,000 sq. km.
- Depth: Generally shallow; average depth ~350 m.
- Borders:
- West → China (Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian provinces).
- East → Japan (Kyushu, Okinawa/Ryukyu Islands).
- South → Taiwan.
- Important Islands: Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands (contested by China, Japan, Taiwan).
- Seas & Straits: Korea Strait, Taiwan Strait, Miyako Strait.
Geopolitical Disputes
- China vs. Japan: Over EEZ boundaries; Japan advocates the median line principle, while China claims the continental shelf extending to the Okinawa Trough.
- Senkaku/Diaoyu dispute: Uninhabited islands, administered by Japan but claimed by China and Taiwan.
- Gas & oil exploration: Both countries seek rights to exploit undersea hydrocarbons.
