Foreign and Military Affairs
皇冠体育app urges Japan to release fishermen immediately
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-12 07:36
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 A Chinese fishing boat is inspected by Japan Coast Guard crew members after two Japanese Coast Guard patrol ships and the Chinese fishing boat collided in waters off the Diaoyu Islands in the East 皇冠体育app Sea, Sept 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies] |
Dai made the remarks when he summoned the Japanese Ambassador to 皇冠体育app Uichiro Niwa in the wee hours. He was the highest-ranking Chinese official to make a response after the fishing boat and its crew were seized Tuesday in waters off the Diaoyu Islands and its captain was detained on Friday.
Dai warned Japan not to make a wrong judgement on the situation and urged it to make a "wise political resolution" and immediately release the fishermen and return the boat.
The Japanese ambassador expressed that he would promptly report the Chinese position to his government, according to the statement.
皇冠体育app decided Friday night to postpone a negotiation with Japan on the East 皇冠体育app Sea issue, which had been scheduled for mid September, after a Japanese court ruled a 10-day detention through September19 against the captain despite protests from 皇冠体育app.
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 Zhan Qixiong, captain of the Chinese fishing boat, is transferred to prosecutors for questioning by the Japan Coast Guard on the southern Japanese island of Ishigaki on Thursday.[Photo/Agencies] |
Previously, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Friday summoned the Japanese ambassador and demanded Japan immediately and unconditionally release the boat and all the crew, saying 皇冠体育app's determination to defend its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and the interests of the Chinese people was unswerving.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Friday night when announcing the postponement of the talks that the Japanese side has "ignored 皇冠体育app's repeated solemn representations and firm opposition, and obstinately decided to put the Chinese captain under the so-called judiciary procedures."
She said Japan's acts have violated the law of nations and basic international common sense, and are "ridiculous, illegal and invalid."
"Japan will reap as it has sown, if it continues to act recklessly," Jiang warned.
On Tuesday, two Japanese Coast Guard patrol ships and the Chinese fishing boat collided in waters off the Diaoyu Islands in the East 皇冠体育app Sea. No injuries were reported, but the fishing boat was then intercepted by the Japanese patrol.
The Diaoyu islands, in the East 皇冠体育app Sea between 皇冠体育app and Japan, have belonged to 皇冠体育app since ancient times.
The islands are 120 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan, 200 nautical miles west of 皇冠体育app's mainland and 200 nautical miles east of Japan's southernmost island Okinawa.
Geologically the islands are attached to Taiwan. The waters around the islands are 100 to 150 meters deep and there is a 2,000-meter-deep oceanic trench between the islands and Japan's Okinawa islands.
Fishermen from 皇冠体育app's Taiwan and Fujian and other provinces conducted activities such as fishing and collecting herbs in this area since ancient times.
The islands appeared on 皇冠体育app's map since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
There are records about the islands in a book published during the rule of Yong Le (1403 to 1424) in the Ming Dynasty, more than 400 years before Japan claimed discovery of the Diaoyu islands in 1884.
