Diaoyu Islands Dispute

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Latest News

Japan's UNESCO bid a new provocation

Chinese ships continue patrolling Diaoyu Islands

Taiwanese, Japanese ships confront near Diaoyu Islands

Taiwanese ships return without reaching Diaoyu Islands

Taiwan fishing vessel sails to Diaoyu Island

China says Japan should honor its promise on historical issues

Chinese navy's Diaoyu Islands activities legitimate: defense ministry

Historical facts show Diaoyu Islands belong to China: Kenyan paper

Japan should halt diplomatic, military scurry on China's Diaoyu Islands

China to submit outer limits of continental shelf in East China Sea to UN

Photos

Chinese people rallies in front of Japan embassy in Beijing on Saturday to protest Japan's so-called "control" over the Diaoyu Islands. Photo: GT/Li Hao

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US shows bias over Diaoyu Islands row China expressed strong dissatisfaction after the outgoing US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed bias over the Diaoyu Islands disputes during a joint meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on January 18. The People's Daily reiterated that China's bottom line is not to give up sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands. "US should know the meaning of the Daioyu Islands to China. The US has already borne historical responsibility for the Diaoyu Islands disputes by 'returning' the 'administrative jurisdiction' to Japan in the 1970s, and it should not agitate tensions by expressing biased opinions which may harm China-US relations," read the opinion piece. The Beijing Times echoed in saying that Hillary's controversial comments do not help to ease tensions, saying "this is not the attitude a politician responsible to their country and history should have."
Abe's pre-election visit to Yasukuni adds insult to injury With speculation surrounding Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Shinzo Abe becoming the next Prime Minister running high, Chinese media believed his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine Wednesday to be a political nod to rightists and nationalist voters ahead of Japan's election. The Xinhua News Agency called Abe's visit to the shrine honoring Japan's war dead a "challenge to the human conscience." Similarly, People's Daily opined that Abe's visit to the shrine demonstrates Japan's political ecology in miniature.
More Comments: Media calls for ‘rational’ protests against Japan’s ‘purchase’ of Diaoyu Islands Weibo calls for Japanese boycott to remain 'rational'

US shows bias over Diaoyu Islands row

China expressed strong dissatisfaction after the outgoing US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed bias over the Diaoyu Islands disputes during a joint meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on January 18.

The People's Daily reiterated that China's bottom line is not to give up sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands.

"US should know the meaning of the Daioyu Islands to China. The US has already borne historical responsibility for the Diaoyu Islands disputes by 'returning' the 'administrative jurisdiction' to Japan in the 1970s, and it should not agitate tensions by expressing biased opinions which may harm China-US relations," read the opinion piece.

The Beijing Times echoed in saying that Hillary's controversial comments do not help to ease tensions, saying "this is not the attitude a politician responsible to their country and history should have."

Abe's pre-election visit to Yasukuni adds insult to injury

With speculation surrounding Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Shinzo Abe becoming the next Prime Minister running high, Chinese media believed his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine Wednesday to be a political nod to rightists and nationalist voters ahead of Japan's election.

The Xinhua News Agency called Abe's visit to the shrine honoring Japan's war dead a "challenge to the human conscience."

Similarly, People's Daily opined that Abe's visit to the shrine demonstrates Japan's political ecology in miniature.

More Comments:

Media calls for ‘rational’ protests against Japan’s ‘purchase’ of Diaoyu Islands

Weibo calls for Japanese boycott to remain 'rational'

Videos


Chinese, Japanese vice FMs discuss Diaoyu Islands Issue Source: CNTV	Anti-Japanese protests erupt in Chinese cities (Source: CNTV)	Anti-Japanese protests continue in Beijing (source: CNTV)

Diaoyu Islands: Japan arrests Chinese activists (Source: CNTV)	Activist leader on Diaoyu Islands landing (Source: CNTV)

Media Comments

	Global Times ●Tokyo’s strategic offensive: From Diaoyu Islands to Nay Pyi Taw While Japan's high-profile move on the Diaoyu Islands is a direct confrontation against its neighbor, its actions in Myanmar are a secret detour against China. ●Discard illusion of friendly ties with Japan Keeping friendly neighboring ties is a good policy. But it cannot be achieved through one-sided begging and compromising. ●Island purchase sinks hope of solving dispute Japan's unilateral action has seriously damaged the diplomatic relations between China and Japan. The only possible means to save the bilateral diplomatic relations is to stop any form of "islands purchase." ●Regaining Diaoyu needs long-term efforts Japan has tight control over Diaoyu, but that control is not that defensible. China's maritime power should be reflected in the waters around Diaoyu. The confrontation with Japan will be a long-term one. China's development in the next few decades depends on the Diaoyu Islands. ● Japan's domestic politics doesn't alter China's stance China does not have a choice. Japan's provocations have challenged China's bottom line. If China does not fight back accordingly, it will become passive in the dispute and domestic cohesion will suffer too.
	Xinhua News Agency ●China's determination to safeguard sovereignty unshakable From announcing base points and baselines of territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands to the patrolling, China has taken just and legitimate actions to safeguard its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands, which has won widespread applause from the Chinese public.
	People's Daily ●Diaoyu Islands will remain China's A commentary in the People’s Daily says the Chinese government has been keen to defend its sovereignty over the Diaoyu islands and its affiliated islands. It says any of the Japanese attempts to occupy the islands will end in failure.

Voyage Details

Departure time: January 24, 2013	Boarding time: 16:30 pm, August 15, the memorial day of victory over Japan during World War II
People: Several non-governmental activists are onboard the shipping vessel with a crew of seven people.	People: A total of 15 activists on board, including four crew members and 11 activists from Hong Kong, Macao and the Chinese mainland.
Ship: a Taiwanese fishing vessel named “Happy Family” in English	Ship: The ship belongs to the Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands.
Task: to bring a sea goddess statue to the islands	Task: to reach the Diaoyu Islands and assert China’s sovereignty over the islands.
Route: The vessel departed from a fishing port in New Taiwan City and sailed to the contiguous zone at around 11: 05 am with four guarding ships of the Taiwan's coast guard authority.	Route: start August 12 noon from Hong Kong; go through the Taiwan Straits on August 14; reach the Diaoyu Islands on August 15
Difficulties: The five vessels returned at about 1 pm as they were impeded by ships of Japanese Coast Guard, according to Japan's broadcaster NHK.	Difficulties: be blocked by Japan’s Self-Defense Forces from landing on the islands.
Result: The Taiwanese fishing boat and four coast guard ships returned from contiguous waters of the Diaoyu Islands on January 24 without reaching the islands.	Result: 7 activists, including 4 from Hong Kong, 2 from Chinese Mainland and 1 from Macao, landed on Diaoyu Island; all the activists were arrested by Japan; Japan releases Chinese activists on August 17

Comments

	Activists' return deserves celebration The right wing of Japan might retaliate, while China's acts to defend the Diaoyu Islands will continue. As long as the Diaoyu Islands are still under Japanese control, there is no complete victory.
	Activists heading to Diaoyu Islands Sunday Activists and government officials Monday vowed to protect the right of Taiwanese fishing boats to operate around the disputed Diaoyu Islands and to defend the country’s sovereignty over the region.
	Japan shows short-sighted rashness in island disputes Japan appears to be mired in bitter domestic conflict which has played back upon its foreign policy in a fresh attempt to "nationalize" Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea that actually belong to China.
	Nearly seven decades later, Northeast Asia still haunted by war Managing the feud with China over the Diaoyu islands near potentially huge oil and gas reserves could be tougher at a time when China -- where memories of Japan's military occupation run deep -- faces a once-in-a-decade leadership change and Japan worries about its rival's rising regional and global clout.
More Comments
●Nation’s strength backs Diaoyu progress ●Coordination needed to succeed in Diaoyu ●Japan’s tough attitudes stir up neighbors ●Japan must not cross line in Diaoyu spat ●Be wary of Japan’s radical acts on Diaoyu ●Taiwan must help counter Japan claims ●Ocean-lapped Japan wary of China's continental power ●Naval exercises routine, not warning to Japan ●China won't yield to Japan's radical moves over disputes ●Backing needed for political moderates ●Sinophobia gives Ishihara public boost ●Unclear stance leaves Japan divided over Diaoyu ●Diaoyu Islands can never be up for sale

Timeline of Diaoyu Islands dispute

August 15, 2012: Activists from Hong Kong landed on the Diaoyu Islands 16:30 pm August 15, according to Japan Coast Guard.

August 12, 2012: A Hong Kong activist group set sail for the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea to assert China’s sovereignty over the islands Sunday.

July 27, 2012: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei expressed China’s "grave concern" and "strong displeasure" over what he described as the "highly irresponsible remarks" made by Prime Minister Noda.

July 23, 2012: Hao Junbo, a lawyer at Lehman, Lee and Xu, headquartered in Beijing has added Tokyo government, its governor and Kunioki Kurihara, a Japanese businessman who claimed ownership of three of the Diaoyu Islands, to his list of defendants.

July 18, 2012: A Chinese lawyer named Hao Junbo has filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government on July 18 for violating Chinese sovereignty in its recent attempt to "purchase" the Diaoyu Islands, seeking an apology and confiscation of the money raised by Japanese politicians.

July 11, 2012: Three Chinese fishery patrol ships arrived at areas near the Diaoyu Islands around 2 am on July 11 during a routine check, according to fishery authorities.

July 7, 2012: China will not allow its territory to be "purchased" by anyone, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said, after Japan said that it was looking to buy disputed islands from a Japanese citizen.

June 26, 2012: China again requested Japan to stop causing new disturbances over the Diaoyu Islands and safeguard the overall interests of bilateral ties.

June 18, 2012: Experts say Taiwan-based Foxconn CEO Terry Gou's suggestion that he would buy the Diaoyu Islands and cooperate with Japan to develop them is impracticable and meaningless.

May 22, 2012: The Chinese government voiced strong protest against the meeting.

May 16, 2012: China and Japan held a high-level consultation on maritime affairs with the Diaoyu Islands taking center stage.

May 8, 2012: The Chinese foreign ministry said that it held the same stance toward unilateral action from Japan in its bid to violate China's lawful ownership of these islands.

May 2, 2012: China's fishery administration authorities confirmed that two of its vessels have sailed into waters near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

April 17, 2012: China reiterated that the Diaoyu Islands and other affiliated isles have been an inherent part of Chinese territory since ancient times, and China holds indisputable sovereignty over them.

August 15, 2012: The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) told the Global Times on Wednesday that seven crew members from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao landed on the Diaoyu Islands and five of them were taken into police custody on the island, while two others returned to the boat.

August 3, 2012: Some 50 Japanese lawmakers plan to set foot on the Diaoyu Islands on August 19 to hold a vigil for the victims of a refugee shipwreck during wartime on the islands.

July 26, 2012: Japanese Prime minister Yoshihiko Noda said Japan is ready to send in the military if necessary to protect the Diaoyu Islands, known as Senkaku in Japan.

July 15, 2012: Japan's ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa returns to Tokyo on July 15 to discuss how Japan should respond to recent developments concerning the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. Japan recalls Chinese ambassador over Diaoyu tensions.

July 7, 2012: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda admitted his government was negotiating with a "private owner" to "nationalize" part of the "Senkaku Islands" (China's Diaoyu Islands) by the end of the year.

June 7, 2012: A senior Japanese cabinet official said that the Japanese government was studying the proposal by a right-wing politician to purchase the Diaoyu Islands and that objections to the plan by the Japanese envoy to China was "not in line with the government's stance," according to the Kyodo News.

May 22, 2012: Members of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) reportedly held a meeting to discuss the purchase of the Diaoyu Islands, after councilors were split over the proposal by Tokyo mayor Shintaro Ishihara.

May 18, 2012: World Uyghur Congress head Rebiya Kadeer made a donation of 100,000 yen ($125) on Friday to Takeo Hiranuma, a member of parliament and the party representative of the Sunrise Party of Japan, after the meeting of the WUC assembly, and declared that she would help the Tokyo metropolitan government "buy" the Diaoyu Islands.

May 8, 2012: The Tokyo metropolitan government went further in its plan to purchase three of the Diaoyu Islands, announcing that total donations had reached over 200 million yen ($2.5 million) by May 7.

April 27, 2012: Ishihara announced that the metropolitan government had set up an account for people to send money to help it purchase the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, the Japan Times reported.

April 16, 2012: Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara said that the metropolitan government plans to buy the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, over which both China and Japan claim sovereignty, a move that risks elevating tensions between the two countries.

Dokdo Dispute between Japan and ROK

Related Reports

●S. Korea unveils stele on Dokdo Islets
●South Korea, Japan islands dispute grow fierce
●S. Korea dismisses Japan's decision to refer territorial dispute to int'l court
●Japan proposes to S. Korea to take isles dispute to international court
●South Korean singer's team swim to disputed islets
●S. Korea rejects Japan's move to ICC mediation
●South Korea downplays visit to dsiputed islets

Timeline of Dokdo Dispute

Time	Japan	South Korea
August 19, 2012		South Korea has unveiled a monument on the disputed islets it calls Dokdo.
August 17, 2012	The Japanese government officially proposed to South Korea to jointly take the isles dispute over the sparsely inhabited islands to the International Court of Justice ( ICJ), announced Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura.	South Korea dismissed Japan's decision to refer the longstanding territorial dispute with South Korea over a set of islets to the International Court of Justice.
August 14, 2012		Members of South Korean singer Kim Jang-hoon's swimming team with about 40 university students and dozens of other participants began their relay swim from an eastern port to a set of disputed islets called Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese.
August 12, 2012	Japan’s government plans to withdraw from a meeting scheduled between Japan and South Korea during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Russia next month. The withdrawal is to protest the visit of South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak to disputed islets known as Dokdo in South Korean and Takeshima in Japan which both countries claim sovereignty, ribenxinwen.com reported on August 12.
August 10, 2012	Japan ambassador to S. Korea to temporarily return over isle dispute: FM Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said on August 10 that Japan's ambassador to South Korea would temporarily return in protest against South Korean President Lee Myung Bak's visit to disputed islands claimed by both sides. Japan urges South Korea president not to visit disputed islands Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba on August 10, 2012, urged South Korean President Lee Myung Bak to cancel a planned visit to a pair of disputed islands, which claimed by both Seoul and Tokyo, saying that the trip would hurt bilateral ties.	South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak on August 10, paid a landmark visit Friday to a set of disputed islets claimed by both South Korea and Japan, an unprecedented trip that raised Tokyo's ire.
July 31, 2012		South Korea "strongly protests" the latest territorial claims, the foreign ministry here said in response, demanding Japan " immediately withdraw" the "unacceptable" claims.
June 28, 2012		Senior officials of South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party on June 28, 2012, visited a set of disputed islets lying between South Korea and Japan, a subject of recurring territorial disputes.
April 6, 2012		South Korea expressed "deep regret" on April 6, 2012, over Japan's foreign policy report that renewed its claim over a set of disputed islets lying halfway between the two countries.

Kuril Islands dispute between Japan and Russia

Related Reports

●Russian party wants to rename Kuril Islands
●Russia to send navy vessels to disputed Pacific islands
●Russia’s PM dismisses Japan govt’s fury over latest trip to Kuril Islands
●Russia-Japan territorial row flares up following Medvede's second visit to disputed islands
●Japan plans to name 39 islets in disputed, remote waters
●Russia concerned as Japanese foreign minister visits disputed islands

Timeline of Kuril Dispute

Time	Japan	Russia
August 18, 2012		Political party, A Just Russia, says it wants to rename the disputed Kuril Islands and will see the views of the islands’ residents.
August 15, 2012		Russia will send two navy vessels to the disputed Kuril islands in the Pacific, the defense ministry said, in a move likely to anger Japan, which lays claim to them.
July 3, 2012		Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev made a repeat trip to one of the four Pacific Kuril islands claimed by Japan
January 18, 2012	A decades-old territorial dispute that has prevented Japan and Russia from signing a peace treaty is showing no signs of improving following talks between the two country's foreign ministers in Tokyo.
May 25, 2011	The Japanese government denounced a visit by three South Korean lawmakers to a Russian-held island over which Tokyo claims sovereignty, threatening to lodge a protest with Seoul.
May 17, 2011	Japan filed a protest over the Russian deputy prime minister's visit to a chain of disputed islands that have marred the two sides' relations since the end of World War II.
February 21, 2011	Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano flew over Kunashiro Island and the Habomai islet group, hammering home Tokyo's unwavering attitude toward the disputed Kurils, according to AFP.
December 14, 2010		Igor Shuvalov, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's influential deputy in charge of economic affairs, visited Kunashir and Iturup islands, two of the four Kuril Islands, which are known in Japan as the Northern Territories, his spokesman told AFP.

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GT Seminar on Diaoyu

Global Times holds seminar on Diaoyu as spat escalates
Disputes over the Diaoyu Islands can be solved to Beijing's advantage only when China becomes a real world power, "economically and politically," scholars and diplomats agreed Sunday at a seminar on the Diaoyu Islands on Sunday amid a new round of conflicts between the two countries.

Though Chinese activists were detained, they were released within 48 hours. Credit should be given to the Chinese government, as its efforts were the key to the early release. More

In terms of determination, China should make red lines for Japan. For example, we should not allow Japanese to land on the Islands or station its army there. More

For Tokyo, China's deterrence due to its national rise has increased. In 2010, Japan detained Chinese crew for more than two weeks after the collision incident over Diaoyu. But this time Japan released Chinese activists in two days. More

There should be an approach of combining the diplomatic, administrative, media, official and public means, as well as proper stimulus for civil society. More

China faces several problems in tackling the Diaoyu Islands issue: Japan's actual control of the Islands, Japan's nationalism, reflected in its right wing's provocation, and the US factor. More

Does it really suit China's interest if it wrangles with Japan over the Diaoyu Islands? We also have to consider the possible impact on China's domestic development. More

As a Taiwanese, I want to point out that both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan need to be guided by a principle of "FIRM" over the Diaoyu Islands issue. More

Under an overall strategy, we should know about concrete issues at every facet, including historical, legal, cultural and even military issues. Only through more thorough, meticulous and objective studies, can we better promote the addressing of the dispute. More

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Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) launched a military drill on island defense in a training ground in the city of Narashino in Chiba Prefecture on January 13, 2012.Photo: chinanews.com

Japan launches military drill on island defense

China strongly protests Japanese landing on Diaoyu Islands

Irrational, violent anti-Japanese protests should be avoided

Japan signs "purchase" contract on Diaoyu Islands

Tokyo govt survey group starts illegal survey at waters near Diaoyu

Japan flag grabbed from ambassador's car

Japan, US conduct island defense drill near Diaoyu Islands

Japan urged to ensure safety of Diaoyu activists

Lawyer sues Japan over Diaoyu bid for violating Chinese sovereignty

Japan recalls Chinese ambassador over Diaoyu tensions

Chinese navy holds live-fire drill in E.China Sea

Diaoyu Islands can't be 'bought': FM spokesman

Taiwan backs Diaoyu activists as mainland urges Japanese restraint

Japan's 'islands buying' plan

September 11, 2012	The Japanese government has signed the contract on the purchase of Diaoyu Islands with Kurihara family whom the Japanese side called "the private owner", NHK report.
July 7, 2012	Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda admitted his government was negotiating with a "private owner" to "nationalize" part of the "Senkaku Islands" (China's Diaoyu Islands) by the end of the year.
May 22, 2012	Members of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) reportedly held a meeting to discuss the purchase of the Diaoyu Islands, after councilors were split over the proposal by Tokyo mayor Shintaro Ishihara.
April 16, 2012	Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara said that the metropolitan government plans to buy the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, over which both China and Japan claim sovereignty, a move that risks elevating tensions between the two countries.

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