Politics

MOFA dismisses Japan’s Diaoyutai position

History, geography, international law and practical use all show that the Diaoyutai Archipelago is an integral part of ROC territory. (CNA)

• Publication Date：08/27/2012
• Source： Taiwan Today

The ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s claim that Japan’s sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Archipelago is indisputable from a historical perspective.

In an Aug. 24 statement in response to Noda’s news conference the same day, MOFA denied the prime minister’s comment that the islands were not claimed by the Chinese when the Japanese imperial government took them over in 1895.

“From the point of view of history, geography, practical use or international law, the Diaoyutais are undeniably an integral part of ROC territory,” the ministry stated.

It pointed out that the first recorded mention of the island chain was in a book published in 1403, early in the Ming dynasty, proving that they were first discovered, named and used by the Chinese.

In addition, the Diaoyutais are mentioned in many Qing dynasty official documents and appear on numerous maps from the 18th and 19th centuries as part of Chinese territory, MOFA pointed out.

Furthermore, the ministry noted that secret Japanese government documents in the decade prior to its seizure of the Diaoyutais at the end of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 show that it was aware the islands were claimed by the Chinese.

In fact, a Shanghai newspaper reported at the time on Japan’s designs on the islands, leading the Japanese government to temporarily suspend its territorial ambitions, according to the ministry.

MOFA also noted that Noda appealed during his news conference for involved countries to handle territorial disputes calmly and rationally to avoid arousing nationalist fervor that might lead to conflict.

This call is in line with ROC President Ma Ying-jeou’s East China Sea peace initiative, the ministry said, adding that it will work with Japan in the spirit of this proposal to enhance bilateral dialogue on the issue. (SB-THN)