Over islets. China versus Japan.
The island cluster is located 140 kilometres east of Pengjia
Islet, Republic of China and 410 kilometres west of Okinawa Island, Japan.
The Japanese government is buying the islands from the
Kurihara family for 2.05 billion yen after renting at 25 million yen a year
from 2001 to 2012. In turn, Japan’s Ministry of Defence rents Kuba for an
unknown sum and the island is used to practice aircraft bombing range by the
United States military.
After the Okinawa Reversion Treaty in 1971, the Chinese and
the Taiwanese governments rally to claim ownership of the islands. Oil and gas
reserves was identified in its vicinity in 1969 after the US government
occupied the islands since 1945. That happened when Japan surrendered in World
War II. The hatred from the wounds of 18th September 1931 invasion
of the mainland China have since loose heat after 81 years. People have buried
the agony of World War II. The bitterness diluted but the scars remained.
The bitter has turned into sweet after 81 years of making up
and the sweet is getting sweeter until lately. Recently, in June, China and
Japan allow a direct trade between the two countries using yuan and yen instead
of U.S. dollar. Unfortunately, dozens of Chinese cities took to the streets to
voice their anger last Saturday, and in Beijing, thousands of protestors
besieged the Japanese embassy upon the Japanese government’s nationalization of
the Diaoyu Islands. Diaoyu means “fishing” and Diaoyu Islands were recorded by
the Chinese Imperial map of the Ming Dynasty 1368-1644. The 81st
anniversary of the invasion of Japan today is feeding outcry across China
forcing Japanese firms to suspend operations.
A close ally of Japan, Washington will not take sides and
China is hoping for a peaceful solution to the dispute.
Fresh anti-Japan protests erupt in China
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