politics

China launches website on disputed islands

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A Chinese propaganda website doesn't mean anything. Unless China decides to take this issue to the ICJ, the world will continue to see China's claim for what it is, part of the greater effort to take territory from it's smaller Asian neighbors. What's next, a website to attempt to justify Chinese ownership of the entire South China Sea?

13 ( +19 / -6 )

The truth has come out that Abe lied about the agreement reached decades ago by the two leaders on shelving the disputes. Now, nobody is going to trust Japanese officials’ words any more. “Official records declassified by the British National Archives on Tuesday show that China and Japan agreed to ‘maintain the status quo’ on the Diaoyu Islands. According to the records, then Japanese Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki said in a private conversation with his British counterpart Margaret Thatcher on Sept. 20, 1982 that Japan and China had reached agreement on shelving disputes over sovereign claim on the Diaoyu Islands.”

-21 ( +4 / -25 )

New Year not even 24hrs and China starting their crap!

17 ( +20 / -3 )

Happy Fcuking New Year to you China.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

China gone back 600 years, if so hen Diaoyu Islands, America, Australia, New Zealand and so many countries fall under same Category.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Chinese government teams are working around the clock to come up with more brilliant ideas to perpetuate China's aggression in the region.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Same old Clap-Trap from COMMUNIST RED CHINA ! Free All Chinese from the Maoist Yoke of Slavery! Happy New Year to the Japanese & All lovers of a Free Society!

11 ( +14 / -3 )

The truth has come out that Abe lied about the agreement reached decades ago by the two leaders on shelving the disputes. Now, nobody is going to trust Japanese officials’ words any more. “Official records declassified by the British National Archives on Tuesday show that China and Japan agreed to ‘maintain the status quo’ on the Diaoyu Islands. According to the records, then Japanese Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki said in a private conversation with his British counterpart Margaret Thatcher on Sept. 20, 1982 that Japan and China had reached agreement on shelving disputes over sovereign claim on the Diaoyu Islands.”

Link please.

Same old Clap-Trap from COMMUNIST RED CHINA

China is not communist.

Free All Chinese from the Maoist Yoke of Slavery

China is not the same country it was when Mao was alive.

-1 ( +5 / -7 )

Just propaganda for the mainland masses. But China could play fair if this was allowed:

Tibet's new website, www.tibetautonomouscountry.org.tb, was unveiled Tuesday by Tibet’s National Data and Information Service.

Featuring a Tibetan flag on its front page, the site displays legal documents, maps and a timeline dating back to ancient times, centuries before Beijing invaded, and claims the country’s Tibetan name first appeared in writings.

The documents on the website “provide strong evidence, from both a historical and legal perspective, that Tibet is Tibetans' inherent territory since ancient times”, the official Xinhua oops, Tibetan news agency wrote.

But since they'd never allow this, it's clear that history means nothing to China unless it stands to gain from it.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Dear China,

Happy Fcuk U Year !

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Japan’s foreign ministry website already has a section on the islands, available in 12 languages.

I wonder if it is available in China?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

This is exactly what China should do.

Not that I trust the Chinese government to make their claims entirely honestly. Then again I don't trust the Japanese government to do the same. But from the beginning of this whole dispute, both sides have been very eager to stake their claims on the islands and very reluctant to actually explain why they think their claim is valid. The way forward is to make your case and let the truth come out through outside scrutiny.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Happy new year China !

PS : Fu** you China !

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Not even tip toed into 2015, and the Government of China just might as well stepped into a time machine. Pitiful and at the same time depressingly predictable. Never a year passes that President Xi Jinping isn't attempting to extract his pound if flesh. Narratively speaking Shylock never saw Portia's agile piece of legal manovering coming, a lesson President Xi Jinping and his ilk will never comprehend.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

China, belligerent as usual.

As for the splitting hairs over the communist/socialist term,

States run by Communist parties that adhere to Marxism-Leninism, or some variation thereof, refer to themselves as socialist states. The Soviet Union was the first to proclaim itself a "socialist state" in its 1936 Constitution and a subsequent 1977 Constitution. Another well-known example is the People's Republic of China, which proclaims itself to be a "socialist state" in its 1982 Constitution of the People's Republic of China. In the West, such states are commonly known as "communist states" (though they do not use this term to refer to themselves).""

A horse apple, by any other name, would smell the same.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I just want to say Happy 2015 to my fellow Japan-todayers.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

...LOL, so they've launched their "IN-YER-DREAMS" website.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

How is this any different to Shimane prefecture having a Takeshima Day or Japanese maps (including weather maps on TV) showing the Southern Kuriles as if they were part of Japan? Let them do what they want. Who cares. I don't care how often Japan keeps talking about Dokdo or the Southern Kuriles, because nothing will change.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

OssanAmerica: "A Chinese propaganda website doesn't mean anything."

And yet here you are, posting about it. Obviously it ruffles feathers.

"Unless China decides to take this issue to the ICJ, the world will continue to see China's claim for what it is, part of the greater effort to take territory from it's smaller Asian neighbors."

I think you have your island issues mixed up as usual, Ossan. It's Dokdo that Japan demands SK go to the ICJ for, as you do, to decide ownership despite it being non-binding. The Senkaku/Daiyou islands are "not in dispute" according to the Japanese side, and so they would not go to the ICJ, would they? Or do you really think they should, Ossan?

In any case, you ARE right, even if the website bothers you, that it should not mean anything. It's just more foolish propaganda, same as 'Takeshima Day' or other nonsense Japan holds over islands that do not belong to it but they try and assert claim over. The nations that administer the islands just shrug and the world keeps turning.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

New Year not even 24hrs and China starting their crap!

Wait for more crap when their New Year starts.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

So all the world should revert national boundaries to be in accordance with maps and documents from 1403?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@lowan....that'll leave me w/o a country! And a much smaller China with restored border nations.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

If my memories server me right, Japan Govt started official web campaign for disputed islands first.

Folks, take it easy; the keyword in this article and the issue is “disputed” . The US has never said that Senkaku Islands belongs to Japan, or China. It's under Japan's control and no country should use forces In territorial disputes.

As they say, it takes two to tango.

However, I think that both sides will come to their senses in 2015 and beyond on disputed Senkaku Islands since both Japan and China want to improve the ties for a wide range of reasons.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

The Chinese government only knows three things: LIE, CHEAT, and STEAL.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

All three of Japan's disputes should go to the ICJ. China has that power, it just prefers to be a baby.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Pukey2Jan. 01, 2015 - 06:48PM JST How is this any different to Shimane prefecture having a Takeshima Day or Japanese maps (including weather maps >on TV) showing the Southern Kuriles as if they were part of Japan?

Easy. Japan has objected to South Korea's declaration of ownership of the Liancourt Rocks the moment they did so, and since then have suggested settling the issue at the ICJ THREE times.South Korea has continued to refuse, obviously because they know they can not win legally. In contrast, China has never taken Japan, or the PI or Vietam for that matter to the ICJ to settle any of their disputes. As for the Southern Kuriles, the United States, UK, European parliament recognize them as JAPANESE territory under RUSSIAN OCCUPATION. Finally there are posters here whose sole raison d'etre is to hate Japan, and they are simply too uneducated to engage in any discussion, so they should just refrain from addressing any of my posts.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

These islands are definitely a tricky situation for all sides involved. Resolving the conflict in a non-aggressive, diplomatic way would require someone to resign from the territorial claims and as a result, humiliate himself. So in my honest opinion the situation is going to remain like that for many years to come. It kind of reminds me how the map of Antarctica looks nowadays, lots of territorial claims, and no actual globally accepted ownership of the territory.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Just propaganda for the mainland masses. But China could play fair if this was allowed: Tibet's new website, www.tibetautonomouscountry.org.tb, was unveiled Tuesday by Tibet’s National Data and Information Service. Featuring a Tibetan flag on its front page, the site displays legal documents, maps and a timeline dating back to ancient times, centuries before Beijing invaded, and claims the country’s Tibetan name first appeared in writings. The documents on the website “provide strong evidence, from both a historical and legal perspective, that Tibet is Tibetans' inherent territory since ancient times”, the official Xinhua oops, Tibetan news agency wrote. But since they'd never allow this, it's clear that history means nothing to China unless it stands to gain from it.

Didn't they also say Genghis Khan wasn't Mongolian, but actually Chinese...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1538174/Outrage-as-China-lays-claim-to-Genghis-Khan.html

Nothing is safe from their bogus "claims" and grabbing....

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Only one problem with that web site: it's all in Chinese. I'm surprised the people who created that web site didn't do Japanese and English versions so at least we can understand what the Chinese want with their claims, even if it's wrong.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

OssanAmerica

FYI

http://news.yahoo.com/living-hell-disabled-slaves-south-korean-islands-054717907.html

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Strangerland The truth has come out that Abe lied about the agreement reached decades ago by the two leaders on shelving the disputes. Now, nobody is going to trust Japanese officials’ words any more. “Official records declassified by the British National Archives on Tuesday show that China and Japan agreed to ‘maintain the status quo’ on the Diaoyu Islands. According to the records, then Japanese Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki said in a private conversation with his British counterpart Margaret Thatcher on Sept. 20, 1982 that Japan and China had reached agreement on shelving disputes over sovereign claim on the Diaoyu Islands.”

Link please.

Here are the links.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/12/31/national/history/japan-china-agreement-maintain-senkaku-status-quo-82-suzuki-thatcher-files/#.VKbv8dLF840

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-12/31/c_133890534.htm

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

“provide strong evidence, from both a historical and legal perspective, that the Diaoyu Islands are China’s inherent territory since ancient times”

Not really.

In fact, not at all.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

If the Lyukyu Kingdom was virtually part of China, as well as Japan being a tributary, there is no doubt that this tiny enclave belongs to China.japan even agreed to letting China have the islands south of Okinawa main island, provided Japan would keep Okinawa and everything north of it. But as you know that was just a delay tactic while Japan was being armed by the West for the very purpose of the final outcome.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Ryukyu was never a virtual part of China! Where did you learn this?!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Back on topic please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@avigator

The last tributary delegation sent to China was 894, at that time neither china or Japan recognized Kingdom Ryukyu since it did not exist.

Really mixing history to your own advantage doesn't really work since history is not written that way.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Welcome to 2015, nothing is new for the commies China. Same old craps keep recycling year after year. Just have a good laugh and get on with your life. Life is too short.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

China is openly disputing the Senkakus as a smokescreen for what it is really doing in Russia. China is in a good position to retake Primorye (where Vladivostok is situated), which was ceded to Russia in the unfair Peking Treaty of 1848. All of Russia's Far East was part of the original China during the Qing dynasty, and it will be returned.

What Xi Jinping is doing by helping Russia right now is making sure that loans and property interests (denominated in yuans, not rubles) are anchored at current levels of value. This seems noble and nice. It's not. When the value of the ruble falls, it takes many more rubles to pay for yuan-denominated loans, so these companies' profit margins are soon stretched to breaking point; this quickly bankrupts any institutions in which Chinese firms have an interest.

As more oil and gas companies fault their loans, the Chinese investors gain a larger foothold in the Russian economy--all without doing anything, just letting Russia fall even faster, even going into free-fall by trying to pay interest on Chinese investments.

It's a brilliant move for taking over Primorye and much of Russia east of the Urals. Yes, Putin has fallen into Xi's trap.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Strangerland The truth has come out that Abe lied about the agreement reached decades ago by the two leaders on shelving the disputes. Now, nobody is going to trust Japanese officials’ words any more. “Official records declassified by the British National Archives on Tuesday show that China and Japan agreed to ‘maintain the status quo’ on the Diaoyu Islands. According to the records, then Japanese Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki said in a private conversation with his British counterpart Margaret Thatcher on Sept. 20, 1982 that Japan and China had reached agreement on shelving disputes over sovereign claim on the Diaoyu Islands.”

'Maintain the status quo' which is Japan has the control and China shuts up about it. Look like China who broke the 'status quo'.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

nigelboyJan. 06, 2015 - 01:36AM JST 'Maintain the status quo' which is Japan has the control and China shuts up about it. Look like China who broke the 'status quo'.

and then what happened? Japan went and nationalized the islands in Sept 2012. Japanese government are just not trust worthy….

0 ( +0 / -0 )

and then what happened? Japan went and nationalized the islands in Sept 2012. Japanese government are just not trust worthy….

Because the lease expired. I can't fault the owner for selling them to the government.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

nigelboy Jan. 06, 2015 - 06:52AM JST Because the lease expired. I can't fault the owner for selling them to the government.

I guess you don't understand what "maintain the status quo" means. It means keeping the things the way they presently are. Means "the state of affairs that existed peviously", from the 1982 agreement, regardless of the lease expiration.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I guess you don't understand what "maintain the status quo" means. It means keeping the things the way they presently are. Means "the state of affairs that existed peviously", from the 1982 agreement, regardless of the lease expiration.

That's not how I interpret it considering the fact that based on your narrow definition, NOTHING is status quo for the lease along with 'time' moves forward.

Face it. Nationalized or not, it still doesn't change the fact it's controlled by Japan.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

What about the declassified information the British has released that actually backs China's argument? PM Thatcher and PM Suzuki had a meeting where Suzuki admitted that both China and Japan agreed to shelve DISPUTES about the Diayou/Senkaku Islands to focus on common interests (and using that point as an advice to Thatcher on how to possibly make an agreement with China on the Hong Kong situation, which was still under the British rule at that time). This information proves that there were/are disputes, while Abe's Japan says there are no/were never any disputes.

If the Chinese are lying about this, then that means the British are lying about this as well. It's either that or the Chinese somehow secretly placed false information in old British archives. As stupid as that sounds, I'm sure some people in the comments section are more than capable of thinking that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

StrangerlandJAN. 01, 2015 - 10:22AM JST The truth has come out that Abe lied about the agreement reached decades ago by the two leaders on shelving the disputes. Now, nobody is going to trust Japanese officials’ words any more. “Official records declassified by the British National Archives on Tuesday show that China and Japan agreed to ‘maintain the status quo’ on the Diaoyu Islands. According to the records, then Japanese Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki said in a private conversation with his British counterpart Margaret Thatcher on Sept. 20, 1982 that Japan and China had reached agreement on shelving disputes over sovereign claim on the Diaoyu Islands.”

If there was any such agreement to "shelve the disputes" could you kindly provide the evidence of any signed agreement to that effect? Of course you can't because there was no such agreement. I am not sure how much you know about law, if anything, but heresy evidence is evidence of nothing. Neither are "historical claims:" if they were half the world could claim the other half.

If China says it agreed to the "status quo" then what it is doing trying to change it? The Senkaku Islands were under Japanese control in 1972 and they are under Japanese control now. As recently as the 1960's Chinese maps showed the Senkaku Islands as Japanese territory; it was only after a survey showed there might be significant deposits of oil and gas that China began to claim them. Now it wants them because it wants to build a submarine base there. The Senkaku Islands were claimed by Japan in 1895 as "terra nullus" (unoccupied territory) with no objection from China or any other country.

This new Chinese website is just more CPC propaganda, and since it is only in Chinese it seems to be preaching to the converted.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

A Realist Jan. 07, 2015 - 04:33AM JST The Senkaku Islands were claimed by Japan in 1895 as "terra nullus" (unoccupied territory) with no objection from China or any other country.

In the years from 1894 until 1900, Japan refer to the islands around Taiwan with Chinese names. Why suddenly Diaoyu/Senkaku became terra nullius after 1894 when Japan annexed Taiwan and other islands? Clearly, the exercise was to pre-empt any counterclaims by China or to legalize what they were stealing Japan surveyed the islands for 10 years and determined that they were uninhabited. That being the case, in 1895 it erected a sovereignty marker that formally incorporated the islands into Japanese territory.

Before Japan defeated China in 1894, Japan went surveying the islands in the East China Sea. the Chinese named since Ming period as the Diaoyu centuries back. Therefore, in 1884 Japan took an interest on Diaoyu ten years before she defeated China in 1894 in the First Sino-Japanese War. China used it as a marker in its route from Fuzhou to Naha, now in present-day Okinawa, and where occasion demands, its fisherman would seek temporary refuge from the raging sea storms, thus its name Diaoyu means “Fishing Platform.”

It just does not make sense that the Japanese, with nothing to gain, would spend ten years meticulously surveying the islands before 1894. Oil or gas had not been discovered or reported to be around the vicinity for Japan to be interested, at that point of time the need for fossil energy was not critical to Japan. Why would Japan embark on a non-viable survey for ten years to determine without any doubt that Diaoyu was terra nullius? If, as Japan claims, the ten years spent surveying the islands would mean they were likely to encounter Chinese fisherman taking shelter there in a storm and not actually terra nullius, would Japan have accepted that the islands were visited by Chinese fishermen?

Then why Japan did not lay claim to Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands before 1894 the year Japan vanquished Qing China’s navy? Why wait until 1896 after Japan forced an unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki on China in 1895 to pass an imperial decree to make Diaoyu a Japanese territory? Surely it is obvious that Japan had not surveyed Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands to verify that it is no man’s land or uninhabited, because Japan could not as Japan knew the islands belong to China.

That accounts why Japan could not claim to discover the islands unless by outright war of conquest, which Japan did in 1894, and issued an imperial decree in 1896 to make Diaoyu a part of the Japanese Empire after the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki. Thus it would appear to me Japan is disingenuous, as Japan well knew long before her 1894 defeat of China, the Senkaku Islands were named as Diaoyu, a fishing platform for Chinese fishermen to take refuge in storms and route markers. To say Japan surveyed ten years the islands she called Senkaku Islands was a pretence Japan did not hear of the name Diaoyu used by China centuries before Japan called it Senkaku Islands.

The truth is very much lacking from Japan. Now, why terra nullius and not res nullius (a thing that has no owner)? To claim terra nullius is to say no one ever lived there before, and at the point of time, the discovery was made. Thus, having ‘proved’ terra nullius, Japan purported to land in Diaoyu and claims it as a discovery. That was what precisely Japan trying to legitimise their theft and answerable to no one with what is suspiciously a big lie.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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