Japan says more Chinese naval ships have been seen near Okinawa, with some staging drills involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) able to carry missiles and conduct surveillance that analysts say is crucial for China to expand its maritime power.
The Joint Staff Office of the Japanese Defence Ministry said the country's maritime defence force on Monday morning spotted three Chinese ships - two Type 054A multi-role warships and one Dongdiao 232 electronic surveillance ship - going through the Okinawa Miyako Strait on their way to the East China Sea.
Earlier reports indicated the three People's Liberation Army (PLA) warships conducted take-off and landing exercises involving UAVs on April 29, about 700 kilometres east of Okinotori Island, a tiny Pacific atoll Japan considers part of its territory but which China considers a mere reef.
UAVs are considered vital weapons above 21st-century battlefields. The drones can be used as all- weather fighters, reconnaissance planes, information gatherers and can even carry anti-ship cruise missiles.
Senior Colonel Li Jie, from China's Naval Academy, said the PLA naval drills on the high seas show that China's UAV technology has improved.
'Our navy is obliged to stage drills, and it should intensify military drills in all waters it can visit in today's tough climate,' Li said, referring to China's territorial disputes with neighbours in the East and South China seas.