U.S. affirms support for Japan in island dispute with China

By using Mark Felsenthal and David Alexander WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States pledged beef up for ally Japan on Wednesday in a growing dispute with China over islands in the East China Sea as senior U.S. administration officials stated China’s claim to air space over the islands had unsettled its neighbors. U.S. Protection Secretary Chuck Hagel told his Eastern counterpart in a telephone call that the two countries’ safeguard treaty covers the small island team the place China based a brand new airspace safety zone closing week and “recommended the Jap executive for exercising acceptable restraint,” a Pentagon spokesman said. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is because of seek advice from China, Japan and South Korea during per week-lengthy shuttle and will are seeking for to ease tensions heightened after China demanded that airplanes flying near the islands determine themselves to Chinese authorities, senior U.S. administration officials stated.