Campbell: Japan-US security treaty covers Senkakus
Sep. 22, 2012 - Updated 02:18 UTC
A senior US State Department official has reiterated that the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea are clearly covered by the Japan-US security treaty.
US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell was speaking at a hearing of the Senate foreign relations subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs on Thursday.
Tension is growing between Japan and China over a territorial dispute involving the Senkaku islands.
Campbell said the United States is concerned by recent demonstrations in China and by the potential damage the dispute could cause to the partnership between Japan and China.
He said the United States is not taking a position on the ultimate sovereignty of the islands. But Campbell said the US views Japan as maintaining administrative control of the islands.
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Campbell: Japan-US security treaty covers Senkakus -NHK WORLD English-
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Panetta tells China that Senkakus under Japan-U.S. Security Treaty
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
September 21, 2012
The United States has warned China that the Senkaku Islands were covered by the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, although it continues to maintain its stance that it would not take sides in the territorial dispute between Japan and China.
Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told Chinese National Defense Minister Liang Guanglie in Beijing that the security treaty obligating the United States to come to the defense of Japan would be applied to the Senkakus, which are called the Diaoyu Islands in China.
A high-ranking U.S. government official in a position to know the details of the Sept. 18 meeting between Panetta and Liang confirmed to The Asahi Shimbun what the U.S. defense secretary said.
The source added that Liang expressed China's strong opposition to having the security treaty applied to the Senkakus.
However, Panetta told Liang that there was no change in Washington's long-held stance that it would fulfill its obligations under the security treaty.
Panetta tells China that Senkakus under Japan-U.S. Security Treaty - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun