China's inspections of Panama-flagged vessels comply with int'l conventions: spokesman

China's inspections of Panama-flagged vessels fully comply with international conventions, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.

Guo said China has made clear its position on this issue several times.

"China is a major shipping country and places high importance on maritime transport and personal safety. Since 2026, Panama-flagged vessels have been involved in multiple collisions of merchant or fishing vessel in a row in Chinese waters, resulting in deaths and people being missing," Guo said.

"To exercise responsibility for maritime transport safety, particularly people’s safety, China’s competent authorities have conducted port state control inspections on incoming vessels in accordance with laws and regulations. This is fully in compliance with international conventions and does not target any particular country or ship flag," he said.

Tokyo stocks ended higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index jumping more than 4 percent and closing at a fresh record high on gains in artificial intelligence- and semiconductor-related shares.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 3,191.37 points, or 4.61 percent, from Wednesday at 72,366.34.

The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 52.71 points, or 1.33 percent, higher at 4,016.47.

On the top-tier Prime Market, electric appliances, information and communication, and glass and ceramics product issues were notable gainers.

The Nikkei stock index surged back above 72,000, reversing a two-day losing streak, as investors chased further gains following U.S. tech giant Micron Technology's strong earnings driven by robust demand for memory chips tied to AI applications, analysts said.

The index held firm throughout the session as investors continued buying heavyweight technology shares, with Advantest and Tokyo Electron among the standout gainers.

Analysts said buybacks and fear of missing out were fueling the rally. The overnight decline in benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures provided additional momentum.