(CNN) -- China warned Sunday that it would take "strong counter measures" against Japan if a Chinese fishing captain held since last week is not released.
The captain was arrested earlier this month off the disputed Diaoyu Islands, in the East China Sea, after his vessel crashed into two Japanese patrol boats. He remains in custody, accused of obstructing Japanese public officers while they performed duties.
"We demand the Japanese side immediately release the Chinese captain unconditionally," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
China has already suspended bilateral exchanges at and above the provincial or ministerial levels, Xinhua reported.
The country has also stopped talks with Japan about increasing civil flights and expanding aviation rights between the two countries, the news agency said.
A bilateral meeting on coal was also postponed, Xinhua reported.
CNN
