China Submits East China Sea Islands Claim to UN

China has submitted to the UN a detailed explanation of its claims to a disputed area of the East China Sea.

It argues that certain geological features prove its territory extends out to a group of islands near Japan.
A UN commission of geological experts will examine China's submission but does not have the authority to resolve conflicting claims.

Beijing and Tokyo have long laid claim to the islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.The islands lie some 200km (124 miles) off Japan's Okinawa island and beyond China's 200 nautical mile (370km) exclusive economic zone. They form part of Okinawa prefecture and are controlled by Japan.

Japan-China Disputed Islands

• The archipelago consists of five islands and three reefs
• Japan, China and Taiwan claim them; they are controlled by Japan and form part of Okinawa prefecture
• Japanese businessman Kunioki Kurihara owned three of the islands but sold them to the Japanese state in September
• The islands were also the focus of a major diplomatic row between Japan and China in 2010