The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the territorial dispute between the People’s Republic of China and Japan in the East China Sea, centered on the contested Senkaku (Diaoyu Dao) Islands. It explores the historical background of the conflict, tracing its origins to the late nineteenth century, including the aftermath of the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895, Japan’s colonial expansion, and the geopolitical decisions made following World War II and during the Cold War. The paper examines the evolution of the dispute from the 1970s to the early twenty-first century, emphasizing how China’s rapid economic growth and Japan’s relative economic stagnation have reshaped the regional balance of power. The study demonstrates that the territorial conflict in the East China Sea has a multifaceted character, combining political, economic, and symbolic dimensions. Particular attention is paid to the role of the maritime economy in both China and Japan as a critical factor in their national security and development. The article presents current data on the structure and scale of the two countries’ maritime industries, including shipbuilding, maritime trade, energy, and fisheries. The international dimension of the dispute is analyzed in detail, including the position of the United States under the U.S.–Japan Security Treaty, the responses of other regional actors, and the broader implications of the conflict for East Asian security. The paper also assesses the significance of the conflict for the Russian Federation. Although Russia is not directly involved, it has strategic interests in maintaining regional stability due to its partnership with China and its unresolved territorial dispute with Japan over the Kuril Islands. It is argued that neutrality remains the most pragmatic policy for Russia, allowing it to preserve flexibility in relations with both China and Japan while avoiding entanglement in the broader geopolitical confrontation.
East China Sea; China; Japan; territorial conflict; maritime economy; international law; thalassocracy.