[h=1]Chinese government issues white paper on Diaoyu Islands[/h] 09-25-2012 15:58 BJT
The Chinese government has issued a white paper on the Diaoyu Dao, or Diaoyu Islands. The document clearly explains the fact that Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are inherent part of the Chinese territory in all historical, geographical and legal terms and China has indisputable sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands.
The white paper expresses China’s firm opposition to Japan’s violation of China’s sovereignty in any form. China has taken resolute measures to curb any such act. China’s will to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity is firm and its resolve to uphold the outcomes of the World Anti-Fascist War will not be shaken by any force.
Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are located to the northeast of China’s Taiwan Island. The islands consist of Diaoyu Dao, and other islands and reefs with a total landmass of around 5.69 square kilometers.
Diaoyu Dao, situated in the western tip of the area, covers a landmass of about 3.91 square kilometers and is the largest island in the area. The highest peak on the island stands 362 meters above the sea level.
Ancient ancestors in China first discovered and named Diaoyu Dao through their production and fishery activities on the sea.
The earliest historical record of the islands can be found in the book Voyage with a Tail Wind published in 1403 in the Ming Dynasty.
In 1561, Hu Zongxian, the supreme commander of the southeast coastal defense of the Ming Dynasty incorporated Diaoyu Dao into the jurisdiction of the Ming court’s coastal defense.
In 1650, the first official historical record of the Ryukyu Kingdom confirmed that Diaoyu Dao and Chiwei Yu belonged to China and Kume Island belonged to Ryukyu. The separating line lay in the Okinawa Trough between Chiwei Yu and Kume Island.
The Qing Dynasty continued the Ming Dynasty’s incorporation of the Diaoyu Dao and it affiliated Islands into the scope of China’s coastal defense. It also clearly placed the islands under the jurisdiction of the local government of Taiwan.
Foreign maps also showed that Diaoyu Dao belonged to China.
Illustrated Outline of the Three Countries published in 1785 by Hayashi Shihei is earliest Japanese literature to mention Diaoyu Dao. It put the island as being apart from the 36 islands of Ryukyu and colored it the same as the mainland of China, indicating that Diaoyu Dao was part of China’s territory.
In addition, some maps published by France, Britain, and the United States in early 19th century all marked Diaoyu Dao as part of China’s territory.
Japan accelerated its invasion and external expansion after the Meiji Restoration.
Japan seized Ryukyu in 1879 and changed its name to Okinawa Prefecture.
In 1884, a Japanese man claimed he was the first to land on Diaoyu Dao. The Japanese government then dispatched secret fact-finding missions and attempted to invade and occupy the islands.
The plots triggered China’s alert. The Chinese newspaper Shanghai News reported that Japan intended to occupy the islands. The Japanese government did not dare to take any further action for fear of reaction from China.
In 1885, the governor of Okinawa Prefecture noted China’s existing sovereignty on the islands, and asked for instruction as whether to set up sovereignty markers on it. The Japanese Foreign Minister replied that any open moves were bound to alert the Qing court. He advised not to go beyond field surveys, and not to publicize the missions.
In 1890 and 1893, another two separate requests were made to set up sovereignty markers on the island. The Japanese government did not respond.
In May, 1984, two months before the Sino-Japanese War, the secret fact-finding missions said in a final conclusion that it was difficult to provide any specific reports on the island. The missions said there existed no old records, or folklore and legends demonstrating that the island belonged to Japan.
At the end of 1894, Japanese forces seized the Chinese port of Lushun, virtually securing defeat of the Qing court. Against this backdrop, the Japanese cabinet secretly passed a resolution in January to place Diaoyu Dao under the jurisdiction of Okinawa Prefecture.
From the time of the fact-finding missions in 1885 to the occupation of the islands in 1895, Japan consistently acted in secrecy. This further proves that Japan’s claim of sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao does not have legal effect under international law.
In April, 1895, the Qing court was officially defeated in the war and forced to sign the unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki. The Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated Islands, were ceded to Japan together with Taiwan Island. In 1900, Japan changed the name of Diaoyu Dao to "Senkaku Islands".
Diaoyu Dao, being affiliated to Taiwan, was returned to China after the Second World War.
In December 1941, Chinese government officially declared war against Japan with the abrogation of all treaties between China and Japan.
In December 1943, the Cairo Declaration stated that "all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Manchuria, Taiwan and the Pescadores, shall be restored to the Repulic of China."
In July 1945, the Potsdam Proclamation stated:"The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out." Japan accepted the Potsdam Proclamation in explicit terms with the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on September 1945.
On October 25, the Chinese government officially recovered Taiwan at the ceremony for accepting Japan’s surrender in Taipei.
The Chinese government has issued a white paper on the Diaoyu Dao, or Diaoyu Islands. The document clearly explains the fact that Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are inherent part of the Chinese territory in all historical, geographical and legal terms and China has indisputable sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands.
The white paper expresses China’s firm opposition to Japan’s violation of China’s sovereignty in any form. China has taken resolute measures to curb any such act. China’s will to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity is firm and its resolve to uphold the outcomes of the World Anti-Fascist War will not be shaken by any force.
Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are located to the northeast of China’s Taiwan Island. The islands consist of Diaoyu Dao, and other islands and reefs with a total landmass of around 5.69 square kilometers.
Diaoyu Dao, situated in the western tip of the area, covers a landmass of about 3.91 square kilometers and is the largest island in the area. The highest peak on the island stands 362 meters above the sea level.
Ancient ancestors in China first discovered and named Diaoyu Dao through their production and fishery activities on the sea.
The earliest historical record of the islands can be found in the book Voyage with a Tail Wind published in 1403 in the Ming Dynasty.
In 1561, Hu Zongxian, the supreme commander of the southeast coastal defense of the Ming Dynasty incorporated Diaoyu Dao into the jurisdiction of the Ming court’s coastal defense.
In 1650, the first official historical record of the Ryukyu Kingdom confirmed that Diaoyu Dao and Chiwei Yu belonged to China and Kume Island belonged to Ryukyu. The separating line lay in the Okinawa Trough between Chiwei Yu and Kume Island.
The Qing Dynasty continued the Ming Dynasty’s incorporation of the Diaoyu Dao and it affiliated Islands into the scope of China’s coastal defense. It also clearly placed the islands under the jurisdiction of the local government of Taiwan.
Foreign maps also showed that Diaoyu Dao belonged to China.
Illustrated Outline of the Three Countries published in 1785 by Hayashi Shihei is earliest Japanese literature to mention Diaoyu Dao. It put the island as being apart from the 36 islands of Ryukyu and colored it the same as the mainland of China, indicating that Diaoyu Dao was part of China’s territory.
In addition, some maps published by France, Britain, and the United States in early 19th century all marked Diaoyu Dao as part of China’s territory.
Japan accelerated its invasion and external expansion after the Meiji Restoration.
Japan seized Ryukyu in 1879 and changed its name to Okinawa Prefecture.
In 1884, a Japanese man claimed he was the first to land on Diaoyu Dao. The Japanese government then dispatched secret fact-finding missions and attempted to invade and occupy the islands.
The plots triggered China’s alert. The Chinese newspaper Shanghai News reported that Japan intended to occupy the islands. The Japanese government did not dare to take any further action for fear of reaction from China.
In 1885, the governor of Okinawa Prefecture noted China’s existing sovereignty on the islands, and asked for instruction as whether to set up sovereignty markers on it. The Japanese Foreign Minister replied that any open moves were bound to alert the Qing court. He advised not to go beyond field surveys, and not to publicize the missions.
In 1890 and 1893, another two separate requests were made to set up sovereignty markers on the island. The Japanese government did not respond.
In May, 1984, two months before the Sino-Japanese War, the secret fact-finding missions said in a final conclusion that it was difficult to provide any specific reports on the island. The missions said there existed no old records, or folklore and legends demonstrating that the island belonged to Japan.
At the end of 1894, Japanese forces seized the Chinese port of Lushun, virtually securing defeat of the Qing court. Against this backdrop, the Japanese cabinet secretly passed a resolution in January to place Diaoyu Dao under the jurisdiction of Okinawa Prefecture.
From the time of the fact-finding missions in 1885 to the occupation of the islands in 1895, Japan consistently acted in secrecy. This further proves that Japan’s claim of sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao does not have legal effect under international law.
In April, 1895, the Qing court was officially defeated in the war and forced to sign the unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki. The Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated Islands, were ceded to Japan together with Taiwan Island. In 1900, Japan changed the name of Diaoyu Dao to "Senkaku Islands".
Diaoyu Dao, being affiliated to Taiwan, was returned to China after the Second World War.
In December 1941, Chinese government officially declared war against Japan with the abrogation of all treaties between China and Japan.
In December 1943, the Cairo Declaration stated that "all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Manchuria, Taiwan and the Pescadores, shall be restored to the Repulic of China."
In July 1945, the Potsdam Proclamation stated:"The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out." Japan accepted the Potsdam Proclamation in explicit terms with the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on September 1945.
On October 25, the Chinese government officially recovered Taiwan at the ceremony for accepting Japan’s surrender in Taipei.
