China official puts off Japan visit as boat row continues

China has postponed a senior official’s visit to Tokyo, the latest development in an escalating diplomatic rift over the arrest of a Chinese fishing boat captain following a ship collision near a group of disputed East China Sea islands, AP reported. Li Jianguo, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, was scheduled to visit Japan for a five-day trip starting Wednesday, but Beijing told Tokyo on Monday it wanted to delay Li’s visit for "various reasons." Japan freed 14 crew members of the Chinese trawler on Monday. However, China sees the case against the captain as provocation against its sovereignty claim over the disputed islands and has repeated its demand for his release. Located about 120 miles east of Taiwan, the islands are controlled by Japan but also claimed by Taiwan and China.