China military officials admit ship radar lock: Report

TOKYO, March 18, 2013 (AFP) - Senior Chinese military officials have admitted for the first time that a frigate locked its radar on a Japanese destroyer during the two nations' spat over disputed islands, Kyodo News agency reported Monday.

In one of the more serious incidents in an escalating row over ownership of the islands in the East China Sea, Tokyo said the Chinese vessel effectively had a Japanese ship in its sights earlier this year.

Beijing has consistently denied the allegation and accused Tokyo of hyping the “China threat” in a bid to manipulate world public opinion against its giant neighbour.

But Kyodo News cited unnamed “senior Chinese military officials” saying the weapons targeting had taken place.

The officials, including “flag officers” --those at the rank of admiral-- told Kyodo it was an “emergency decision”, not a planned action, and was taken by the commander of the frigate, the report said.

The Tokyo-datelined report said the comments were made “recently”, but gave no specifics.

Tokyo has also charged a Chinese frigate locked its radar on a Japanese helicopter in the middle of January.

Tokyo has also charged a Chinese frigate locked its radar on a Japanese helicopter in the middle of January