CHINA and other Asian countries couldend up at war over territorial disputes if governments keep up their "provocativebehaviour", US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has said.
Speaking to reporters before arriving in Tokyo on a trip to Asia, Mr Panetta appealed for restraint amid mounting tensions over territorial rightsin the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
"I am concerned that when these countriesengage in provocations of one kind or another over these various islands,that it raises the possibility that a misjudgment on one side or the other could result in violence, and could result in conflict," Mr Panetta said, when asked about a clash between Japan and China.
"And that conflict would then have the potential of expanding."
The Pentagon chief's trip coincides with anescalating row between Asia's two largest economies over an archipelago in the East China Sea administered by Tokyo under the name Senkaku and claimed by China under the name Diaoyu.
Tensions have steadily mounted since pro-Beijing activists were arrested and deported after landing on one of theislands in August. Japanese nationaliststhen followed, raising their flag on the same island days later.
On Tuesday, Japan announced it had nationalised three of the islands in the chain, triggering protests in China. Tokyo already owns another and leases the fifth.
The uninhabited islands are in important sea lanes and the seabed nearby is thought to harbour valuable mineral resources.
Sometimes violent demonstrations havebeen held in China near diplomatic missions in the days since Tokyo's announcement, although there have been no reports of deaths or serious injuries.
Hong Kong broadcaster Cable TV showed footage of clashes on Sunday in Shenzhen between riot police and demonstrators, with some holding a banner calling for a"bloodbath" in Tokyo.
Mr Panetta is due to hold talks on Mondaywith his Japanese counterpart, where the dispute is expected to top the agenda, before heading to China, then New Zealand.
Territorial disputes inthe South China Sea also have Washington worried,as China has refused to withdraw claims to virtually all of the strategic waterway and has been accused of bullying smaller states in the area.
The Philippines and Vietnam have allegedBeijing has used intimidation to push its claims in the South China Sea, through which abouthalf of the world's cargo passes.

THE FIERCE stand-off between China and Japan has taken its toll on the two countries’ trading, after numerous big Japanese firms temporarily closed operations in China yesterday.
Yesterday saw a continuation of the widespread violent protests that eruptedlast week, with attacks on well-known Japanesefirms including Toyota and Honda, which drove many, including Panasonic, Canon and Mazda, to announce factory shutdowns.
Japan has exported £53.8bn worth of goods to China so far this year, placing its neighbour as its biggest export market, while China sent £66.7bn the other way.
But China threatenedJapan with the possibility of “economic war” in anofficial Communist Party paper, saying that their trade relationship was of more value to the smaller country, and China would “take upthe battle” if Japan “continued its provocations”.
The furore erupted last week when Japan bought the Senkaku island chain,known as the Diaoyu islands in China, fromits private Japanese owners.
Protests could pick up today, which marks the 81st anniversary of the Mukden Incident, when Japan faked anattack on a Japanese railway company as apretext to invade mainland China.
US secretary of defence Leon Panettayesterday ruled out any intervention in the conflict, and urged both countries to calm down and resolve the issue diplomatically.
But neither country seems willing to step down, and a flotilla of some 1000 Chinesefishing boats are advancing on the islands, according to the state-run China News Service.

Japan: Chinese Ships Enter Territorial Waters.
http://www.voanews.com/content/chinese-ships-approach-disputed-islands/1510023.html
China's defense chief Liang Guanglie on Tuesdayexpressed the hope that the Diaoyu Islands issue with Japan will be peacefully resolved but he warned of"further actions."

Japan: Chinese Ships Enter Territorial Waters.
http://www.voanews.com/content/chinese-ships-approach-disputed-islands/1510023.html
China's defense chief Liang Guanglie on Tuesdayexpressed the hope that the Diaoyu Islands issue with Japan will be peacefully resolved but he warned of"further actions."

Oh **** that could be a doozy!!

can't really see what the heck the Chinese want,and ho they justify Ownership of Islands owned by Japanese Citizens since the 1890s!
Same insane garbage like the Falklands!
Neither ones are within the legal 12mile Limit.
All else is poppycock!
Guess we Swiss gonna claim all of Germany and the Low Countries on account that the Rhine River springs in Switzerland!

you should, then make them all neutral...lol

I personally,would like to be stuck on one of those islands with gilmourgirl. I'm just sayin