BEIJING (AFP): China will conduct naval exercises on Friday to practice defending territorial sovereignty in the East China Sea, state media said, amid strained ties between Tokyo and Beijing over a disputed island chain.
Both sides have adamantly pressed their claims to the Tokyo-controlled islands -- known as the Diaoyus in China and Senkakus in Japan -- and the row has caused diplomatic and economic fallout between the historic rivals.
"The exercise is aimed at... sharpening their response to emergencies in missions to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime interests," the official Xinhua news agency Thursday quoted a navy statement as saying.
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