Beijing says it warned Japanese fishing boat in waters near Japan-held islands claimed by China

BEIJING (AP) — China says its coast guard issued a warning to a Japanese fishing boat operating in waters surrounding uninhabited East China Sea islands controlled by Japan but claimed by China. State media ran a statement quoting coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu saying a Chinese vessel issued a “warning to depart” to the Japanese fishing boat Zuiho Maru on Thursday near the the island known as Chiwei Yu in Chinese and Taisho in Japanese. It’s the furthest east of the eight islands that make up the Senkaku chain, known as Diaoyu in Chinese. Taiwan also claims the chain, but has forged agreements with Japan on fishing in the area and does not send ships or planes to contest Japan’s sovereignty, as China does routinely.