China disputes its own paper saying Senkakus were part of Ryukyu

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Ida Torres in Features, National with 6 Comments
China disputes its own paper saying Senkakus were part of Ryukyu

The Chinese Embassy in Japan has issued a statement through its website, disputing the claims of a document reported last week, which stated that Beijing recognized the Senkaku Islands as part of Ryukyu, the old name of Okinawa.

Ironically, the document, entitled “Draft platform on issues and arguments in the parts concerning territories in the peace with Japan,” was actually produced by the Chinese government in May 1950. According to the report published in the Jiji Press, complete with photocopies, the document called the islands Senkaku, instead of the Chinese name Diaoyu, and stated that it is part of Ryukyu. But the Chinese website claimed that this is another tactic of Japan to strengthen its argument, despite evidence to the contrary. It said that “using unsigned reference material” is an “indication of Japan’s lack of confidence”.

China has always claimed sovereignty over Diaoyu, citing international laws and Japan’s own diplomatic documents, as well as the Cairo Declaration of 1943, which outlined the policies of the Allies towards Japan during World War II. In a press conference on December 31, Hua Chunying, deputy director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Information Department reiterated that they have enough evidence to stake their claim to Diaoyu as Chinese territory.

The major news outlets, except for a few online news sites, in China have not made any reference to the disputed documents since it was released.

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  • Far East

    Since Chinese Government has a policy of making dellusional claims
    repeatitively in a lame attempt that people would eventually believe it,
    there is not much to consider about their reaction. Maybe if they are
    so sure, they can bring the proceedings before the International Court
    of Justice….

    • http://www.facebook.com/be.way.5 Be Way

      The Chinese making deillusional claims? Come on, troll. You must be really ignorant that Japan has no sovereignty right over Diaoyu Islands. Even if the ugly Americans can unilaterally transfer the islands to Japan without the Chinese agreement, Japan only has administrative rights only. It’s Japan dishonor both as murderer and thief to continue keeping the stolen war loot.

      • Far East

        Ah resorting to insult and other ad hominem to make your point. You know what they say, insults are the response of those who have no arguments…. I take it you must be one of those Chinese surveying the web for topic pertaining to those dispute and ready to spread mainland propaganda :-)

        But the reality is different. Nobody outside of Japan cared about those islands until 1970 after a United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE)[1] report stated there is a strong possibility for petroleum and natural gas to be under those islands. Foreign estimates of potential oil reserves on the shelf have gone as high as 100 billion barrels. (Saudi Arabia has “proven and probable” oil reserves of 261.7 billion barrels and the United States 22 billion[2]). It is only after 1970 that China started claiming sovereignty, but not directly. China still claims that the Senkaku islands belong to Taiwan and that Taiwan (the Republic of China) belongs to them, the ‘People Republic of China’

        But what about historical facts ?

        The Chinese are trying to refer to some historical documents that mention those islands as a marker in their route to the Ryukyu (Okinawa, part of Japan), but emissary from China at the time used that route only 23 times during 507 years while the Ryukyu people went to China using their route 580 times from 1372 to 1879.[3]

        Professor Masao Shimojo, Ph.D. from Kokugakuin University, is making the case backed with evidence[4] that “it was after the Qing Dynasty establishment of the province of Taiwan that Taiwan became part of Chinese territory. In the Map of the Great Ming (Foreigners Section) compiled by the government in 1461 during the Ming Dynasty, the Penghutao (Pescadores) Islands, located between Fuchien Province and Taiwan, are a possession of the Ryukyus.”[5]

        And also that there is “the Map of the Great Qing, geographical recognition that Jilongshan and Jilong Castle mark the northern boundary of Taiwan, and the Senkaku islands are nowhere on the map as a territory of Taiwan.”[6]

        The fact is that it was Terra Nullius (no man’s land) until 1885 (before Sino-Japanese war[7]) when Japan decided to conduct research in order to integrate them to its territory.

        Those are the historical facts. You or Chinese Government can try to distort them, but they will remain hard facts. As I was mentioning, if Chinese Government is so sure, they can always challenge Japan at the ICJ ;-)

        Cheers,

        [1] http://www.unescap.org/
        [2] http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/Asia_petroleum.pdf
        [3] http://youtu.be/9ke7SCAz3bM?t=4m48s
        [4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PRCmap-senkakuislands.jpg
        [5] http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL02_1/87_S4.pdf
        [6] http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL02_1/87_S4.pdf
        [7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Sino-Japanese_War

      • Bongo the Prdkha

        If ugly Americans transfered the islands to Japan, why does Chinese goverment blame Japan for possesing those islands ? Why don’t they protest against America but against Japan ? I support China as an opposition to American hegemony but I (and many others) will never support such actions from Chinese goverment against Japan . If China want’s to be recognized by the world , they should behave like a soft power not like agressor. Japan indeed commited many atrocities during WW 2 but also Chiang and Mao did many evil to their own people. You can’t just blame Japan for everything.

  • disqus_sRvdSL9pQf

    China is a coward. They can only bully and strong arm smaller nations like Philippines and Vietnam into submission. When it comes to Japan, they just shut up and cower scared in the corner. China a superpower?? I don’t think so..

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/NV25ZPWMBDYFXEYR3AWQ43ZS5E Hein S

    china PAPER TIGER