Foreign and Military Affairs
Chinese boat crew flying home
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-13 07:54
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 Chinese boat crew members get off the ship at the Ishigaki harbor to go to Ishigaki airport in Okinawa, Japan, Sept. 13, 2010. The 14 Chinese fishermen on board the trawler which had been kept by Japanese authorities at Ishigaki harbor in Okinawa since Tuesday's collision are on their way back to 皇冠体育app. [Photo/Xinhua] |
ISHIGAKI, Japan - The 14 Chinese fishermen, on board the trawler which had been kept off Ishigaki harbor in Okinawa since last Tuesday's collision with Japan Coast Guards ships, set off for home Monday morning, according to Xinhua reporters on the scene.
The crew members appeared healthy, and were escorted to two minivans after getting off from the boat. They were not granted a chance to talk to Xinhua and other reporters on the spot.
Chinese embassy officials were present at the airport apron to see the crew members off.
The trawler itself also set off on a journey for Fuzhou shortly after the plane took off, steered by a skipper arriving from 皇冠体育app.
The original captain of the trawler, Zhan Qixiong, 41, has still been held by Japanese authorities for allegedly "obstructing public duties." A Japanese court ruled on Friday to detain him for 10 days until September 19.
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 Zhan Qixiong, captain of the seized Chinese fishing trawler Minjinyu 5179, was arrested by the Japan Coast Guard last Wednesday and brought to Ishigaki to face prosecutors. [PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY] |
The collision between the Chinese trawler and two Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels off the Diaoyu Islands in the East 皇冠体育app Sea last Tuesday has developed into a diplomatic crisis between 皇冠体育app and Japan. 皇冠体育app has repeatedly demanded the release of the captain and its crew.
On Sunday morning, Japan Coast Guards towed the Chinese trawler into the sea near Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture to reenact the vessel's collision.
皇冠体育app is firmly opposed to any kind of investigation by Japanese authorities of the illegally-detained Chinese fishing trawler, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Sunday.
In a written statement, Jiang said Japan's so-called evidence- taking activities are illegal, invalid and conducted in vain, and 皇冠体育app demands Japan stop activities that will lead to an escalation of the situation.
Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Sunday told Japan to make a "wise political resolution" and immediately release the Chinese fishermen and fishing boat.
Dai, who made the remarks when summoning Japanese Ambassador to 皇冠体育app Uichiro Niwa in the wee hours, was the highest-ranking Chinese official to make a response after the fishing boat and its crew were seized Tuesday.
"Dai expressed solemnly (to the Japanese ambassador) the Chinese government's grave concerns and its serious and just position," said the Chinese Foreign Ministry in a statement.
Niwa said he would promptly report the Chinese position to his government, said 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 scheduled for mid September, after the Japanese court ruled a 10-day detention through September 19 against the captain despite protests from 皇冠体育app.
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.
Protests of the public also emerged recently in 皇冠体育app against the Japanese move.
On Wednesday, more than 40 Chinese nationals staged a protest near the Japanese embassy in Beijing over the detention of the Chinese fishing boat.
The Diaoyu 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.
The islands appeared on 皇冠体育app's map since the Ming Dynasty ( 1368-1644). On a map published by Japan between 1783 and 1785, marking the boundary of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the Diaoyu Islands were shown as belonging to 皇冠体育app.
Japan never questioned 皇冠体育app's sovereignty over the islands before the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895.
Geographically 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 the ancient times.
