China protests Japan-Taiwan joint coast guard drill

BEIJING (Kyodo) -- China expressed its "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition" on Friday to a joint maritime drill conducted by the coast guards of Japan and Taiwan, saying Beijing has lodged a protest with Tokyo over the exercise.

At a press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian urged Japan "not to disturb the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and Sino-Japanese relations" and to "refrain from conniving or supporting" separatists seeking Taiwan independence.

Communist-led China regards the self-ruled democratic island as part of its territory. Taiwan's coast guard said Thursday it conducted a joint search and rescue drill with its Japanese counterpart.

It was believed to be the first time that such an exercise involving Tokyo and Taipei came to light. The two sides maintain unofficial diplomatic relations as Japan severed ties with the island in 1972 in favor of mainland China.

Earlier in the day, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the joint training was conducted based on a 2017 memorandum of understanding on maritime cooperation between the two sides and that the exercise was "not targeted at third parties including China."

Calling Taiwan "an extremely important partner" that shares basic values and maintains close economic relations with Japan, the top government spokesman said Tokyo will further deepen cooperation with the island.

China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to a civil war.