Chinese naval movement in La Perouse Strait watched closely by Japan
Staff Reporter 2013-07-15 11:48
Chinese vessels fire anti-submarine rockets during the Maritime Cooperation 2013 joint naval exercise with Russia. (Photo/Xinhua)
Seven surface combat vessels of the People's Liberation Army Navy penetrated through the La Perouse Strait — also known as Soya Strait — between the Russian island of Sakhalin and Japanese island of Hokkaido on July 13-14 during the Maritime Cooperation 2013 joint naval exercise with the Russian Navy, reports the Global Times, a tabloid under the auspices of the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily.
In addition to the seven Chinese ships, 16 Russian warships also sailed through the La Perouse Strait to the Sea of Okhotsk on July 13, according to the Tokyo-based Nippon Hoso Kyokai, adding that as neither the Russian nor Chinese vessels entered Japan's territorial waters, no international law was violated.
Chinese and Russian vessels conducted a series of exercises at the Peter the Great Gulf in Russia between July 5-12. It is the first time that a Chinese fleet has sailed into the La Perouse Strait near the Japanese territory of Hokkaido, therefore the Japanese defense ministry paid close attention to the exercise, said Tokyo-based Yomiuri Shimbun.
China's Wuhan and Lanzhou destroyers were the first two PLA vessels spotted by the Japanese in the morning of July 13. The two destroyers were located by Asayuki, a Japanese destroyer and a P-3C patrol aircraft of Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. Later on, five more Chinese ships including two destroyers, two frigates and one supply ship were also seen in the strait.
