According to the Xinhua news agency, the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has launched an official protest with the Japanese Ambassador to Beijing, Koreshige Anami.

“China urges the Japanese side to immediately stop the act that [infringes] upon China’s interests and sovereignty. China cannot tolerate Japan’s move imposed upon others and firmly opposes the dangerous provocative act,” said Wang.

“Japan [must] negotiate a settlement instead of acting unilaterally,” added the official.

Japan’s decision to begin exploring for gas is in retaliation for the building of a massive gas drilling facility by a Chinese-led consortium on the Chinese side of an Exclusive Economic Zone, which China does not acknowledge.