Anti-Japan protests erupt in China over islands row

[Westwood]

Anti-Japan protests erupt in China over islands row

By Sui-Lee Wee and Maxim Duncan
BEIJING | Sat Sep 15, 2012 10:50am EDT

(Reuters) - Thousands of Chinese besieged the Japanese embassy in Beijing on Saturday, hurling rocks, eggs and bottles, and protests broke out in other Chinese cities in an angry dispute over a group of remote islands.

Paramilitary police with shields and batons barricaded the embassy, holding back and sometimes fighting with slogan-chanting, flag-waving protesters who at times appeared to be trying to storm the building.

"Return our islands! Japanese devils get out!" some shouted. One held up a sign reading: "For the respect of the motherland, we must go to war with Japan."

Protester Liu Gang, a migrant worker from the southern region of Guangxi, said: "We hate Japan. We've always hated Japan. Japan invaded China and killed a lot of Chinese. We will never forget."

By early evening, police had succeeded in persuading some people to leave. Rings of anti-riot police stood guard in front of the embassy, apparently readying for a long night.

"I think it's time for the Chinese government to get tougher. Look at what the ordinary people feel. The government should respond," said a man who gave his family name as Xue.

"I don't mean war, but tougher action like sanctions. You can see how much Japan depends on our economy. Then don't sell them any rare earths," he said, referring to elements mined in China which are vital to defense, electronics and renewable-energy technologies.

Japan said its foreign minister had cut short a visit to Australia and flown back to Tokyo.

SURVEILLANCE SHIPS

The long-standing territorial dispute escalated dramatically on Friday when China sent six surveillance ships to a group of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea, raising tension between the two countries to its highest level since 2010.

It was responding to Japan's decision on Tuesday to buy the islands, which Tokyo calls the Senkaku and Beijing calls the Diaoyu, from a private Japanese owner after Chinese warnings not to.

Sino-Japanese ties have long been plagued by China's bitter memories of Japan's military aggression in the 1930s and 1940s and present rivalry over resources - the islands are believed to be surrounded by energy-rich waters.

Relations between the two countries, which have extensive business and trade ties, chilled in 2010, after Japan arrested a Chinese trawler captain whose boat collided with Japanese coastguard vessels near the islands.

China's official Xinhua news agency said big anti-Japan protests were also held in the Chinese cities of Xian, Changsha, Nanjing and Qingdao. Japanese media reported attacks on Japanese restaurants and other businesses.

"Armed police and police officers have been dispatched to protest sites to maintain order," Xinhua said.

The microblog of Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily called on protesters to behave properly.

"What we should show the world is that as China has peacefully risen so has the quality of its people, and that the government is not lacking in its management of the law," it wrote.

Japan's Kyodo news agency said the demonstrations were the biggest in China since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1972.

Pictures on China's popular Twitter-like Sina Weibo showed protests in provincial cities and pictures of looting of shops and destruction of Japanese cars.

Japanese broadcaster NHK said protesters broke into a dozen factories in the eastern city of Qingdao, including one run by Panasonic. Such attacks prompted Japan's government to complain to China's foreign ministry.

There have been sporadic protests around China throughout the week. Those in Beijing had been small and largely peaceful.

"CHINA WILL NOT SHY AWAY"

The latest dispute flared up last month after Japan detained a group of Chinese activists who had landed on the islands.

China also has similar disputes with neighboring states in southeast Asia over islands in the South China Sea.

Diplomats say Tokyo and Beijing want to keep the row from escalating. That could be made harder by China's impending leadership changes and a looming election in Japan.

China's ruling Communist Party rarely permits street protests. "I think the government is encouraging this," said one protester, who gave his name as Uda Chen.

"They could have stopped all of us approaching when we were at the subway station. The government has taught us to be anti-Japanese at school, so if they want us to stop it would be like slapping their own mouths," he added.

The influential tabloid Global Times, published by the People's Daily, said backing off was not an option for China.

"China should be confident about strategically overwhelming Japan," it wrote, saying Chinese forces should "increase their preparation and intensify their deterrence" against Japan.

"China will not shy away if Japan chooses to resort to its military," the paper added.

(Additional reporting by Chris Buckley, Terril Yue Jones, Lucy Hornby and David Gray in BEIJING, John Ruwitch in SHANGHAI and Yoko Kubota in TOKYO; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Andrew Roche)

 

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[Westwood]

China struggles to curb anger as protesters denounce Japan

By Michael Martina and Terril Yue Jones
BEIJING/CHENGDU, China | Sun Sep 16, 2012 9:14am EDT

(Reuters) - Chinese police used pepper spray, tear gas and water cannon to break up an anti-Japan protest in southern China on Sunday as demonstrators took to the streets in scores of cities across the country in a long-running row over a group of disputed islands.

The protests erupted in Beijing and many other cities on Saturday, when demonstrators besieged the Japanese embassy, hurling rocks, eggs and bottles and testing police cordons, prompting the Japanese prime minister to call on Beijing to ensure protection of his country's people and property.

In the biggest flare-up on Sunday, police fired about 20 rounds of tear gas and used water cannon and pepper spray to repel thousands occupying a street in the southern city of Shenzhen, near Hong Kong.

Protesters attacked a Japanese department store, grabbed police shields and knocked off their helmets. One protester was seen with blood on his face. At least one policeman was hit with a flowerpot.

Demonstrators have looted shops and attacked Japanese cars and restaurants in at least five Chinese cities. Protesters also broke into a dozen Japanese-run factories in eastern Qingdao on Saturday, according to the Japanese broadcaster NHK.

It added that the protests had spread to at least 72 cities.

"Regrettably, this is a problem concerning the safety of Japanese nationals and Japan-affiliated companies," Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda told a talk show on NHK. "I would like to urge the Chinese government to protect their safety."

The protests, the latest setback in long-troubled relations between Beijing and Tokyo, followed Japan's decision on Tuesday to buy the disputed islands, which Tokyo calls the Senkaku and Beijing calls the Diaoyu and which could contain valuable gas reserves, from a private Japanese owner.

Beijing called that decision a provocative violation of its sovereignty.

China may have unleashed the protests to put pressure on Japan, but the government also risks a backlash from that same public anger ahead of a delicate leadership succession.

Many demonstrators in Beijing held aloft portraits of Mao Zedong, the late revolutionary leader who is still a patriotic icon - but one who can also serve as an implicit rebuke to present-day leaders.

"We think that the government has been too soft and we want to show it what we think," said one 25-year-old protester, salesman Zhang Xin. "I feel disappointed in the government and it doesn't heed our voice."

CALLS FOR WAR

A six-deep cordon of anti-riot police guarded the Japanese embassy in Beijing as demonstrators resumed their protest on Sunday, screaming slogans and insults as they passed by and throwing plastic bottles full of water.

"If Japan does not back down we must go to war. The Chinese people are not afraid," said 19-year-old-student Shao Jingru.

Dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who walked by Sunday's protest in Beijing, told Reuters he believed the demonstrations were sanctioned by the government and the police.

"Chinese citizens need to thank the Japanese government because for the first time, they can mount a large protest on their own land," Ai said. "In China, there are no protests organized by the people."

Police used loud speakers to tell protesters - many of whom were shouting "declare war" - they should respect the law.

In Shanghai, about 1,500 people marched towards the Japanese consulate, where they were allowed to enter cordoned-off areas in small groups.

Police headed off a crowd of at least 2,000 protesters who were trying to charge the U.S. consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu. Protesters said they wanted the United States "to listen to their voices".

"Do you realize what the Japanese are doing? Why are you beating your fellow Chinese?" Chengdu protesters shouted at the police after some of their number were roughed up.

The Nikkei business newspaper said on Sunday demonstrators had earlier attacked two Panasonic electronic parts plants in the eastern cities of Qingdao and Suzhou. The company will decide whether to continue operations after checking the damage.

Toyota vehicle dealerships were also set on fire and many vehicles were damaged, it said, citing Toyota's China unit.

The flare-up has come while Asia's two biggest economies focus on domestic political pressures, narrowing the room for diplomatic give-and-take. Noda's government faces an election in months, adding pressure on him not to look weak on China.

China's ruling Communist Party is preoccupied with a leadership turnover, with President Hu Jintao due to step down as party leader at a congress that could open as soon as next month.

Chinese state media has praised "rational" expressions of anger but warned that violence could backfire against Beijing. The official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary that the protests were a "reasonable move and natural reaction" to what it called Japan's provocations.

Despite their deepening economic ties, China and Japan have long been at odds over bitter memories of Japan's military aggression in the 1930s and 1940s. Relations chilled in 2010 after Japan arrested a Chinese trawler captain whose boat collided with Japanese coastguard vessels near the islands.

The protests could continue for days yet. On Tuesday, China marks its official September 18 memorial day for Japan's war-time occupation of parts of China.

(Additional reporting by Chris Buckley, Ben Blanchard and Sui-Lee Wee in BEIJING,; Aly Song and Pete Sweeney in SHANGHAI, Jason Lee in CHENGDU, Tyrone Siu in SHENZHEN, and Kiyoshi Takenaka, Yuko Inoue and Linda Sieg in TOKYO; Editing by Nick Macfie)

 

[Westwood]

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[AntiPAPunk]

Calls for calm after anti-Japanese protests turn violent
Staff Reporter 2012-09-18 13:50

An anti-Japanese demonstration in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. (Photo/CNS)

Anti-Japanese demonstrations in major cities in China have descended into violence with protesters smashing cars and setting fire to Japanese restaurants and businesses in Guangzhou, where there have also been reported incidents of robbery and attacks on individuals. Beijing has called for a display of "rational patriotism" and dispatched police and armed officers in an attempt to cool down tensions.

The rallies were triggered by the Japanese government's move to nationalize three of the disputed Diaoyutai (Diaoyu or Senkaku) islands in the East China Sea last week.

During demonstrations over the weekend, protesters also attacked and destroyed properties with no connection to Japan. Some demonstrators in Shenzhen attacked the office of the city party committee while rioters in Guangzhou stormed into the five-star Garden Hotel and vehicles of the Italian consulate in the city were also damaged by protesters, according to Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao.

Several internet users in Guangzhou said some of the protesters were from the south-central province of Hunan. These protesters were paid and given train tickets to "demonstrate" in the city, they claimed, without saying who paid the rioters to do so.

Police in Shenzhen have increased patrols on major streets, summoned back all officers on leave and have armed officers on standby in case of emergency, noted Ming Pao.

Municipal governments across China have arrested protesters and forbidden public gatherings in an attempt to prevent nationalistic demonstrations spiraling out of control. Guangzhou police detained eleven people for destroying vehicles of Japanese brands and smashing shop windows and billboards. The police called for more "rational" protests and vowed to punish people who used the opportunities to riot.

Police in Xi'an in the country's northwest also made several arrests, banned people from organizing illegal gatherings and demonstrations via the internet and set up a restricted area in the city center, according to Hong Kong newspapers.

People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, said municipal governments have made announcements through their new offices and official microblogs to issue warnings to rioters and call for more rational actions.

In Hong Kong, activists planning to set sail for the disputed islands threatened to put to sea without permission or even ram official vessels after the authorities delayed their departure on the grounds of having insufficient equipment and life jackets. The authorities delayed their plans again after they prepared further equipment due to a dent on their new railing, according to Ming Pao.

Tsang Kin-shing, the protest's organizer, said the Hong Kong government has deliberately slowed them down as it will take another two days for them to prepare the food, water and fuel needed for a second trip after the Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands traveled to the islands last month and landed on one of the islets, where they were arrested by the Japanese authorities and later deported. They have already spent HK$80,000 (over US$10,000) on buying equipment and making repairs.

They have not ruled out the option of making a break with media on board to set out for the disputed islands, one activist said, adding he will prepare coffins on the boat to express their determination to defend the islands.

Tsang and Lo Hom-chau, the owner of the boat, attended a Beijing district court on Tuesday morning to press charges against the Japanese authorities who arrested and detained them in August.

The latest demonstrations coincide with the 81st anniversary of the Mukden Incident of Sept. 18, 1931, which led to the full occupation of northeastern China by Imperial Japanese forces. The Chinese government has expressed concerns that the connection between the two incidents will intensify tensions, reported Ming Pao.

Internet users in Henan province in central China have organized a parade in memory of the incident while Hong Kong's political parties and labor unions will also hold a parade and carry out a signature campaign to protest in front of the Japanese embassy in Hong Kong.

Hong Lei, spokesman for China's foreign ministry, said the demonstrations highlight the anger of the Chinese people and the Japanese government should recognize and face the complaints squarely.

 

[AntiPAPunk]

Beijing complains about Japanese activists on Diaoyutais

Xinhua and Staff Reporter 2012-09-18 17:59

China on Tuesday made representations to Japan over right-wing activists landing on the disputed Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.

"The illegal landing of Japanese right-wing activists on the Diaoyu islands is a serious provocation that infringes on China's territorial sovereignty. China has made solemn representations to Japan and demanded that the country explain its endorsement of right-wing activists," foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.

Hong's comments followed reports that two Japanese activists landed on the islands on Tuesday.

Hong urged Japan to take effective measures and stop any acts that may intensify tension over the islands. Hong said China reserved the right to take further actions.

Tensions between China and Japan have exploded in the last week after Japan's government move to purchase three of the disputed islands, which it refers to as the Senkaku, from their private owners, an action denounced by China's government as illegal and a violation of Chinese sovereignty. Anti-Japanese demonstrations have taken place in cities across China.

The islands are also claimed by Taiwan, which refers to them as the Diaoyutai.

 

[AntiPAPunk]

Japanese nationals in China fear for their safety
Staff Reporter 2012-09-18 17:13

Chinese demonstrators call for the destruction of Japan. (Photo/CNS)

With anti-Japanese rallies still taking place in cities across China, Japanese nationals in the country have begun to be concerned for their safety after the Japanese government nationalized the disputed Diaoyu or Senkaku islands on Sept. 11, according to the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao.

Fearing that they may become the targets of Chinese rioters, many Japanese nationals have been stocking up on food in order to avoid leaving the house. One Japanese woman living near her country's embassy in Beijing told Ming Pao that she has not set foot outside her house since the protests started. There have been reports of Japanese nationals being attacked in Shanghai, and a Japanese man was also attacked in the southern city of Dongguan while out shopping.

The Wukesong camera market in Beijing which sells Japanese products did not open on Sept. 18, the 81st anniversary of the Mukden Incident, the start of the full-scale Japanese invasion of northeastern China in 1931, for fear of attack from rioters. Several Japanese enterprises meanwhile have ordered their employees not to travel to China for business. Factories of Japanese companies including Canon, Panasonic and Lion have also stayed closed.

Facing an even more violent escalation of the conflict between China and Japan over the islands in the East China Sea, Japan's foreign minister, Koichiro Genba, has urged the Chinese government to punish rioters who have damaged or looted Japanese businesses according to the law. Yoshihiko Noda, Japan's prime minster, said he hopes measures will be taken by the Chinese government to protect Japanese nationals currently in China. Leon Panetta, the US secretary of defense who is currently in Beijing following a visit to Japan, has called on the two sides to resolve the dispute peacefully.

　

 

[AntiPAPunk]

Chinese rioters demand free food in Diaoyutais protest
CNA 2012-09-18 16:46

Protestors have become indiscriminate in their protests against Japan, causing financial and physical damage to restaurants and businesses across the country. (Photo/CNS)

A Japanese style BBQ restaurant in Beijing has temporarily shut down after Chinese rioters asked to eat for free there and ransacked the restaurants in an anti-Japanese protest, the restaurant's Chinese owner complained Saturday.

The restaurant fell victim to protests over the disputed Diaoyutai islands, which are controlled by Japan but also claimed by Taiwan and China.

Japan's purchase of three islets of the island group from a private owner earlier in the week angered Beijing and triggered anti-Japanese protests across the country that in part targeted Japanese establishments.

The Chinese owner of the Japanese BBQ restaurant in Beijing, who identified himself as "Benny," appealed for calm on a blog on the popular Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo, saying, "we are just ordinary folks trying to make it."

"These looters smashed the restaurant and held China's national flag, saying they didn't need to pay. Anyone who asked them to pay was called a 'national traitor.' So we closed down the restaurant.

"Why is there still so much infighting among Chinese? I don't have the Diaoyutais to give them, and I don't feel like letting them eat and drink for free," he wrote.

The restaurant is co-owned by "Benny" and a Taiwanese owner, surnamed Chou. It is located close to the Japanese embassy in Beijing.

 

[Windsorlou]

Chinese and Japanese vessels face off near disputed islands
Staff Reporter 2012-09-19 12:35

Japanese TV news shows a Chinese ocean surveillance ship near the islands on Sept. 14. (Photo/Xinhua)

12 Chinese ocean surveillance and fishery administration ships were deployed to the area of disputed islands in the East China Sea on Sept. 18 to protect hundreds of Chinese fishing boats which have headed to the area after three of the islands were nationalized by Japan last week, reports Hong Kong's Ming Pao.

The islands are known as the Diaoyu by China and the Senkaku by Japan. They are also claimed by Taiwan, which refers to them as the Diaoyutai. Sept. 18 is also a significant day as it marks the 81st anniversary of the Mukden Incident of 1931, which led to the Japanese invasion of northeastern China.

Approaching the islands, the Chinese escort encountered seven large Japanese coast guard vessels and each side proceeded to claim jurisdiction over the area. Fishery administration ship 35001 demanded the Japanese ships leave Chinese territorial waters when the Chinese vessels were intercepted. There were originally ten ocean surveillance ships and one fishery administration vessel sent out, but one more fishery administration ship was dispatched as reinforcement, according to Japan's Kyodo News agency.

A report in the Tokyo-based Nihon Keizai Shimbun said the Japanese government will probably deploy police from Okinawa to prevent Chinese activists from landing on the islands, while P-3C surveillance aircraft are monitoring the movement of Chinese vessels.

Amid the standoff between the Japanese coast guard and the Chinese ships, the Chinese fishing boats got on with their fishing.

On Tuesday, two Japanese activists from Kagoshima prefecture became the first civilians to land on the disputed islands after Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda nationalized the islands on Sept. 11, provoking another protest from the Chinese foreign ministry. The Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the two civilians left the islands after receiving a warning from the coast guard. Japan may deploy naval vessels to the islands if the tensions escalate.

Anti-Japanese demonstrations have taken place across China in the past week, with Japanese cars, restaurants and businesses coming under attack.

 

[Windsorlou]

Japan's 'purchase' of islands will hurt trade: Chinese commerce ministry
Xinhua and Staff Reporter 2012-09-19 17:19

An anti-Japanese protest in Beijing, Sept. 18. (Photo/CNS)

Japan's unlawful "purchase" of the Diaoyu islands will certainly affect and damage the development of economic and trade relations between the two countries, China's Ministry of Commerce said Wednesday.

"It is not what we wish to see, for which Japan should take full responsibility," ministry spokesman Shen Danyang said at a regular press conference.

The islands in the East China Sea have been China's inherent territory since ancient times, Shen said. Historical documents showed that the islands appeared on China's map since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), more than 400 years before Japan claimed discovery of the islands in 1884.

"The farce of buying the Diaoyu islands seriously violates China's territorial sovereignty and severely hurts the feelings of the Chinese people, which have aroused strong indignation and opposition across the nation," the spokesman said.

Protests against Japan's nationalization of the islands have been seen across China over the past few days. Many Japanese enterprises have suspended production as agitated local people staged protests to boycott Japanese goods.

Shen voiced support to "rational patriotic" activities, saying that the ministry will firmly oppose illegal behavior involving smashing and looting during protests.

The legitimate interests of foreign companies are under the protection of Chinese law, Shen said, adding that foreign companies should seek help from local authorities when encountering offenses.

The dispute over the islands has already cast a shadow over Sino-Japan trade, as trips to Japan were largely canceled at Chinese travel agencies. Sales of Japanese products, especially automobiles and electronics, have dropped sharply in China during the past month.

China ranks as Japan's largest trading partner, with the latter being China's fourth largest. Trade between the two countries accounts for about 20% of Japan's total foreign trade.

The disputed islands are known as the Senkaku by Japan, which controls them, and Diaoyutai by Taiwan, which also claims them.

 

[Windsorlou]

Protesters surround car of US ambassador in Beijing
Staff Reporter 2012-09-19 17:43

Gary Locke, the US ambassador to China. (Photo/CNS)

The US ambassador to China, Gary Locke, was surrounded by nearly 50 anti-Japanese activists in Beijing on Sept. 18, the 81st anniversary of the Mukden Incident, according to Duowei News, an outlet operated by overseas Chinese.

The Mukden Incident of 1931 was the precursor to the Japanese invasion of northeastern China.

Reports from the Seattle Times said that Locke was surrounded in his vehicle by 50 Chinese protesters in Beijing. Though Locke was unhurt, there was minor damage to his embassy vehicle.

In addition to the prevalent anti-Japanese sentiment sweeping China since Japan's government last week moved to nationalize disputed islands in the East China Sea, there has also been public anger directed against the United States, which turned control of the Diaoyutai (Diaoyu or Senkaku) islands over to Japan when it returned Okinawa in 1972.

After the US ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, was killed by an armed group of Islamists in Benghazi on Sept. 11, the safety of US diplomats around the world has become a major concern for the White House. Accordingly, the US embassy in Beijing had asked the Chinese government to give greater protection to American facilities and personnel in the country. The US defense secretary, Leon Panetta, is currently in China, where he has urged restraint to prevent the tensions between China and Japan escalating into armed conflict.

 

[Windsorlou]

Some Japanese companies in China back to work; some still closed
Staff Reporter 2012-09-19 13:29

Panasonic's factory in Qingdao has yet to reopen. (Photo/Xinhua)

Several Japanese electronics manufacturers have resumed production in China after two days of closures amid nationwide anti-Japanese demonstrations but Japanese retailers and heavy machine makers have remained closed as the protests rage on.

Many Japanese businesses operating in China have closed down over safety concerns from Sept. 17 following the Japanese government's move to nationalize three disputed islands in the East China Sea last week, prompting protests from Chinese government and widespread demonstrations across the country which have in some places turned into looting and torching. The protests have also coincided with the anniversary of the Mukden Incident, the precursor to the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s, further raising anti-Japanese sentiment.

Two of Sony's eight factories in China are expected to reopen on Wednesday while Canon has also said staff at its factories in Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Suzhou will return to work after taking paid leave for the past two days. Panasonic said it has not set a date for its factory in Qingdao to reopen but the rest of its factories have not been affected, according to Shanghai's Oriental Morning Post.

Masayuki Matsushita, vice chairman of Panasonic, a company which was invited to invest in China, said he deeply regrets that people who do not understand history caused the damage, according to Japan's Kyodo News agency. The firm's share price declined by 0.7% on Tuesday, though Sony and Cannon increased by 4.48% and 1.04%, respectively. Japanese automakers such as Honda, Toyota and Honda also saw their share prices decrease by 0.61%, 2.51% and 5.01%, with Mazda escaping the trend with a 1.02% growth, reported the newspaper.

Lion Chemical Industry staff said its factories have not set any date for reopening. Retail and financial service firm Aeon, which owns the supermarket chain Jusco, has closed its stores in Chengdu and Qingdao and canceled its Japanese staff's business trips to China. Clothing brand Uniqlo has closed 58 of its 145 stores in China, prompting its share price to drop 7% to 17,480 yen (US$221). Sources said convenience stores 7-Eleven and Ito Yokado have reopened but have reduced their business hours, according to the Oriental Morning Post.

The newspaper has noted some Japanese businesses taking advantage of the demonstrations to cut back production amid weak demand. Construction machine maker Komatsu has halted production at three of its six factories in Shandong province after using less than 30% of its production capacity, according to the newspaper. Hitachi has reportedly recalled its 25 Japanese workers and shut down its factory in Anhui province due to weak demand.

Japanese businesses in China should be compensated for damages they have sustained during the demonstrations in accordance with Chinese law, said Osamu Fujimura, Japan's chief cabinet secretary. Japan has been the second-largest source of foreign investment in China and the country's third-largest trading partner, with trade between the two countries last year exceeding US$340 billion, higher than China's trading volume with the other BRICS countries combined, according to the newspaper.

 

[Windsorlou]

12 Chinese ships patrol in waters around Diaoyu Islands
16:22, September 19, 2012

A Japanese Coast Guard vessel goes beside a Chinese marine surveillance ship. (File photo/ CNTV)

Edited and Translated by Yao Chun

Twelve Chinese vessels including 10 marine surveillance ships and 2 fishery patrol ships have arrived at waters around the Diaoyu Islands to conduct patrol and law enforcement. This is the largest marine patrol in China’s history.

According to Japan Coast Guard, as of 3 p.m. Sept. 18, 10 Chinese marine surveillance ships and a Chinese fishery ship entered waters about 12 nautical miles to 24 nautical miles off the Diaoyu Islands. Japanese Coast Guard warned Chinese ships by radio but the warnings were rejected by the Chinese ships. Then the Japanese side kept a close guard on Chinese ships but didn’t take any other actions.

At 5:50 a.m. this morning, a Chinese ship China Yuzheng 35001 arrived at waters 43 kilometers to the north by northwest of Diaoyu Islands to conduct patrol, which is the first Chinese fishery ship that appears in waters near Diaoyu Islands.

At about 7:30, China Yuzheng 35001 sailed to waters 24 kilometers north by northwest from the Huangweiyu Island and claimed to the Japanese Coast Guard: “Diaoyu Islands are China’s inherent territory. We are implementing the patrol mission.” Then it warned the Japanese ship to leave China’s territorial waters quickly.

Japanese government said that an office was urgently established at the official residence of Japan’s prime minister in order to collect intelligence and strengthen the guard.

As the summer fishing moratorium ended, China estimated that more Chinese fishing boats than previous years will fish in waters near Diaoyu Islands, Chinese fishery patrol ships will carry out fishing patrol at the same time.

Japanese Coast Guard has prepared a large number of patrol ships of varying sizes to meet the challenge; it has tightened vigilance and monitoring of surrounding sea, according to Japan’s Kyodo News.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Sept. 17 at a regular press conference that the Diaoyu Islands and the affiliated islets are China’s territory. Waters around Diaoyu Islands are the traditional fishing grounds of China. China’s fishery department will administrate the fishery production activities of Chinese fishermen and provide them with services in this area.

 

[rolleyes]

Up to 5,000 attend Diaoyutai rally in Taipei
Samuel Hui 2012-09-24 13:59

Activists in Taipei call for everyone of Chinese ethnicity not to forget the Diaoyutai islands. (Photo/Samuel Hui)

Demonstrators carry a banner with the words "Taiwan rally to defende the Disoayutai." (Photo/Samuel Hui)

A rally in Taipei to defend Taiwan's claims to the islands in the East China Sea at the center of a territorial dispute between China and Japan on Sunday was attended by between 3,500-5,000 demonstrators.

Held by the local Alliance to Protect Diaoyu Islands by Everyone, the organizers called for cooperation between Taiwan and China to defend what they consider their common territory. While most demonstrators carried the flag of the Republic of China, Taiwan's official name, a few others held up the flag of the PRC. The march began at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and ended in front of the Interchange Association of Japan, the Japanese representative office.

Though the majority of the protestors were in their middle age, a number of Taiwan's younger generation also joined them, including Jerry Chien from the city's Li Shan High School. "I understand why our government cannot be tough enough against the Japanese," said Chien, "but I do believe that it is necessary for we civilians to show the world our attitude."

The islands are controlled by Japan, which refers to them as Senkaku, though they are also claimed by China and Taiwan. They are known as Diaoyu in China and more commonly referred to as Diaoyutai in Taiwan. Japan's move on Sept. 11 to nationalize three of the islands in the uninhabited chain triggered anti-Japanese protests in many Chinese cities, often accompanied by attacks on Japanese diplomatic missions and businesses in the country. Sunday's event was the first major demonstration to be held on the other side of the Taiwan Strait over the issue.

As the purpose of the rally was to call for an end to Japanese control over the islands, the director of the alliance, Zhang Kai-lun, said every Taiwanese citizen was welcome to take part even if they share different views on Taiwan's relationship to China. "Among our organizers, there are people who support the Taiwan independence movement," Zhang said.

Lin Shiaw-shin, convener of the alliance, said it is time for people in Taiwan to relinquish their ideological differences when facing the common enemy. "Until now, Japan still has not repented sincerely [for actions during World War II], and therefore cannot receive the understanding, forgiveness and respect of Asian people as the Germans did," said Lin. Protesters demanded an apology on behalf of Taiwanese people killed during the island's colonial era,

Since the administration of the Diaoyutai islands was turned over to Japan by the United States in 1972 along with Okinawa, Washington was another target for the demonstrators for its mutual defense treaty with Japan. Protesters reminded the United States not to forget the attack on Pearl Harbor, while also warning Japan not to put its trust in its alliance with America.

"The United States' record of selling out their allies has never ceased. If Japan continues to be the enemy of all Chinese and Asians, you will certainly be betrayed by the United States and your country will never have peace," Lin said.

An observer at the rally, professor Wang Li-ben of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology based in Taipei said, "Many Taiwanese people have begun to feel that Taipei and Beijing share more common interest than Taipei and Tokyo." For this reason, the flags of the People's Republic of China brought to the demonstration by the pro-unification Labor Party and Alliance for Reunification were tolerated by protesters from the New Party and People's First Party which tend to be anti-Communist, according to Wang. Two young women from the Labor Party came dressed as soldiers from the Eighth Route Army, the Communist-led unit that fought Japanese forces in China during the war. "Not all of the protesters are supporting unification but they are all united under the belief of pan-Chinese nationalism to defend the common territory," said Wang.

Though generally peaceful, the rally also witnessed some conflict between different factions taking part, such as between the New Party and the People's First Party. One protester carrying a PRC flag was also reportedly attacked by demonstrators opposed to unification.

Overall, however, the demonstration was in marked contrast with the anti-Japanese demonstrations that have taken place in cities across mainland China. Wang Li-ben said that the rally symbolized the progress of Taiwanese society under a democratic system of government. "I am not sure if we have succeeded or not," said Zhang Kai-lun, "But I am sure the people heard us, the government heard us, the Japanese heard us and the world heard us."

Lin Shiaw-sin said that his alliance will launch an education campaign to teach the younger generation in Taiwan about the importance of the Diaoyutai islands to the country's national interests. Lin himself was blacklisted by the Kuomintang government 40 years ago, when Taiwan was ruled as a one-party state, for launching a campaign in support of the ROC's claim to the islands as a student in the United States. As his stance was then considered a violation of the Kuomintang's pro-US foreign policy, Lin lost his own passport. It was only after Taiwan held its first full democratic elections in 1996 that Lin was able to return to Taiwan, in 1997.

Steve Shia, spokesman for Taiwan's foreign ministry, affirmed the rally as a positive patriotic movement but rejected any possibility of cooperation with Beijing on the Diaoyutai issue. President Ma Ying-jeou has ordered the Coast Guard Administration in Keelung to prevent any Taiwanese activists or fishermen from taking PRC flags to the disputed islands, according to our sister newspaper China Times.

 

[rolleyes]

75 Taiwanese fishing boats head to Diaoyutais to protest
CNA and Staff Reporter 2012-09-24 17:01

The fleet of fishing boats sets out from Suao in northeastern Taiwan. (Photo/CNA)

At least 75 Taiwanese fishing ships will sail to the disputed Diaoyutai (Diaoyu or Senkaku) islands on Monday afternoon to protest Japan's nationalization of the island chain and assert Taiwan's fishing rights in the region, according to the event's organizers.

Despite high waves in waters off Suao in Yilan county, many shipowners in the northeastern coastal town began preparations for the protest voyage early in the morning, said Chen Chu-sheng, head of the organizing committee for the upcoming trip.

"The number of fishing boats registered to take part in the protest voyage has increased from 60 to at least 75," Chen said, adding that many fishing boats from other parts of Taiwan will also join the event.

In addition to protesting the Japanese government's recent purchase of three islets in the island group from their private owners to ramp up its sovereignty claim, the protest voyage is also aimed at asserting local fishermen's rights to operate in the waters, around the islands, which have long been Taiwan's traditional fishing grounds, Chen said.

The fishing boats are scheduled to start their voyage at 3 pm and will converge in waters some 20 nautical miles southwest of the islands at around 5 am Tuesday, Chen said, adding that the ships will then split into groups of five and circle the island chain clockwise to underscore their cause.

The fishermen will try to penetrate the Japanese coast guard's defense line to enter waters 12 nautical miles off the Diaoyutais and unfurl protest banners to vent their anger over frequent harassment during their fishing operations in the area, Chen said.

The participating fishermen have not ruled out the possibility of landing on any outcrop in the contested island chain, Chen said.

Located some 100 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan, the Diaoyutai island group has been under Japanese administration since 1972, but is also claimed by Taiwan and China. Japan refers to the islands as Senkaku, while they are known as Diaoyu in China.

 

[Gangster]

Jia pah liao buay all these pests?

 

[Astra]

PLA unable to occupy Diaoyutais: US analyst
Staff Reporter 2012-10-09 12:04

Raising the flag on a Chinese fishery administration ship in the area of the disputed islands on Oct. 7. (Photo/Xinhua)

The People's Liberation Army is unable to occupy the disputed Diaoyutai (Diaoyu or Senkaku) islands despite its saber-rattling, Larry Niksch, a senior researcher from the Center for Strategic and International Studies at Georgetown University in Washington DC, told Japan's Sankei Shimbun on Oct. 6.

The sovereignty dispute between China and Japan over the islands in the East China Sea continues to rumble on, with Chinese vessels patrolling the area from Oct. 1-7.

On Oct. 4, seven PLA guided missile destroyers crossed Okinawa's Miyako channel. An analyst from the Tokyo-based TV Asahi called this "propaganda warfare," while the national Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that whenever the Japanese coast guard would demand Chinese vessels leave Japanese terrorital waters, the Chinese ships would reply by saying that the Diaoyu islands belong to China. Japan does not formally acnowledge the existence of the dispute over the islands, which are also claimed by Taiwan.

Though the Chinese military would be unable to defeat Japan backed by the United States in a conflict over the islands, Niksch said that Beijing has other ways to disrupt Japan's administration of the islands, including mobilizing activists to land on them.

Regarding the claims of Taiwan, which refers to the islands as the Diaoyutais, Japan's foreign minister, Koichiro Genba, sent a message to Taipei on Oct. 5 calling for fishery negotiations while setting aside the issue of sovereignty. Tokyo would be reluctant to see a cross-strait anti-Japanese alliance formed over the issue of the islands, even though such cooperation has been ruled out by Taiwan's president, Ma Ying-jeou.