Chinese ships enter disputed waters

Chinas foreign ministry said that the ships entered the disputed waters to conduct maritime surveillance and that for the first time China was carrying out a mission of law enforcement over its maritime rights.

The Japanese coast guard said it ordered the Chinese ships to leave the area. By afternoon,all had left the area without any use of force,a coast guard official said.

The islands,known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese,are near potentially huge maritime gas and oil fields.

We lodged a strong protest and also we made a strong case that the Chinese side should leave from the territorial waters around the Senkaku islands, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told a news conference in Sydney after talks with Australias foreign and defence ministers.

Chinese ambassador Chen Yonghua was summoned to Japans foreign ministry to hear a protest. On Tuesday,Japan,which controls the islands,finalised their purchase from a private owner,ignoring warnings from China.