The future leader of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, has warned Japan that it should respect China’s territorial sovereignty with regard to the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.

After days of protest in the Chinese capital of Beijing and the dispatching of monitoring ships by the PRC navy, China’s future leader has finally spoken directly to Japan about the ongoing dispute in the East China Sea which began after Japan announced a plan to nationalize the islands located near Ishigaki prefecture.

The plan, called a “farce” by the Chinese state television network Xinhua, touched off a firestorm of controversy with Japanese businesses, the Embassy in Beijing, and Japanese nationals becoming the focus of public rage in China. Debate is ongoing as to how much of the riots are state managed by the central government in Beijing.

All of these events fall on the anniversary of the Mukden Incident which led to World War II between Japan and China.

Xi Jinping’s remarks were made during a press conference with United States Defense Secretary Leon Panetta who is currently in Beijing.

Secretary Panetta emphasized the need for increased engagement and cooperation between the United States and China while Chinese representatives emphasized the need for the U.S. to remain neutral.

[BBC]

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