July 30 — China's Defense Ministry said at a routine briefing that Sino-Russian
joint patrols occurred on the high seas, not within any Japanese exclusive
economic zone (EEZ). Spokesman Senior Colonel Jiang Bin said Okinotorishima reef
measures under 10 sq m, is only exposed after artificial reinforcement and
cannot sustain human habitation, so it does not meet UNCLOS's definition of an
island. Beijing called Japan's use of the designation to assert EEZ and
continental-shelf rights untenable, said the China-Russia actions complied with
international law and practice, and said Japan had no basis to object.
