China protests over US 'incursion'

The protest comes ahead of an important summit

China has protested to the United States over an alleged violation of China's maritime rights by an American naval vessel.

A foreign ministry spokeswoman, Zhang Qiyue, confirmed Chinese press reports that a US navy ship was spotted earlier this month in the Yellow Sea, in a location China says is its exclusive economic zone.

The spokeswoman gave no further details about the incident other than to say that it violated both international maritime law and China's interests.

She did not comment on local media reports that a Chinese fishing boat collided with the American ship.

A Pentagon spokesman denied there had been a collision, and said nothing the Chinese side had done was dangerous or threatening.

Last year, a collision between an American spy plane and a Chinese fighter off China's coast severely damaged relations between Washington and Beijing.

US vessel 'rammed'

"The US Navy ship Bowditch made activities in China's exclusive economic zone without China's permission and we think it violates the International Maritime Law and it also violates the jurisdiction and interest of China in the exclusive economic zone," Ms Zhang told reporters.

She added that China had repeatedly called on the US "to abide by the relevant international laws and stop activities in China's exclusive economic zones by its navy ships".

Sensitive timing

Under international treaties, foreign ships are allowed to pass through exclusive economic zones but cannot engage in specified economic activity.

Despite China's allegation that the incident marked an illegal incursion, Ms Zhang noted that the often bumpy relations between Beijing and Washington "have good momentum on the whole".

Chinese President Jiang Zemin is due to begin a visit to the US on 25 October.