BEIJING (PTI): Tensions between China and Japan over a group of disputed islands have reached a flashpoint with China saying that it has deployed naval ships around the islets for the first time and slamming Japan for "internationalising" the dispute by raising it at United Nations.
Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun confirmed on Thursday that Chinese naval ships recently carried out patrolling and military training in waters off the Diaoyu Islands called Senkaku islets by Japan.
The confirmation came in response to Japanese media reports that two Chinese naval frigates were seen navigating waters off the Diaoyu Islands, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
This is the first time China has deployed naval frigates in the disputed waters. So far, it had been maintaining that it had sent a dozen maritime surveillance ships, akin to Coast Guard.
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