US B-52s fly over South and East China Seas

Japan said Chinese government vessels intruded into East China Sea 14 times at the weekend.

China has installed a radar with potential military functions in a disputed area of the East China Sea, said Japanese media.

Japan summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo early on Thursday to express concern after a Chinese navy ship sailed close to what Japan considers its territorial waters in the East China Sea for the first time, the Foreign Ministry said.

China has jailed for seven years a man who gave information to an unnamed foreign power about Chinese military and other ships patrolling islets in the East China Sea disputed with Japan, state media said.

BEIJING - China's defence budget this year is likely to rise at its slowest pace since 2010, in line with the decelerating economy, by a much lower figure than had been expected, although it probably does not represent the true spending number.