---- Title: ‘Not a joint drill’: Chinese frigate... ‘sent to monitor Russian warship’ near Diaoyus ---- ... Activity not part of any joint Russia-China exercises but to prevent misunderstanding, Chinese analyst says Russia’s presence meant to send a message to Japan and will complicate conditions, observers say ---- Image Caption: The Diaoyu Islands are claimed by China and controlled by Japan ---- ... A Chinese navy vessel was monitoring a Russian warship – and not taking part in joint exercises – in an incident in the East China Sea that prompted a protest from Japan, according to a defence analyst. Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Tuesday that vessels from China and Russia were seen near the disputed Diaoyu Islands, known in Japan as the Senkakus, on Monday. Japan controls the uninhabited islands, which are also claimed by China. The incident comes as China and Russia have sought to show a united front in the face of US and Japanese pressure, including flying strategic bombers over the Sea of Japan in May. Japan is renewing ties with the US to counter China and has criticised Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. But Kyodo quoted a Japanese Ministry of Defence source as saying that this time the Chinese frigate was deployed to chase the Russian ship. The ministry said it was “an apparent attempt to demonstrate to others that Beijing has sovereignty over the Tokyo-controlled islets” by “chasing and monitoring Russian warship moves” in the area. ---- Video Caption: Russian and Chinese bombers flew near Japan during Quad summit in Tokyo ---- ... My Opinion _I'm not quite sure it's a joke!_ With such messages sent to Tokyo, Japan should consider joining NATO before it's too late.