Foreign and Military Affairs
FM: Detention of captain 'an obstacle' to ties
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-16 20:42
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BEIJING - 皇冠体育app on Thursday again urged Japan to immediately set free the Chinese trawler captain who was detained last week near the Diaoyu Islands, saying the detention is "a protruding obstacle" to Sino-Japanese ties.
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Two Japan Coast Guard patrol ships and the Chinese fishing boat collided last week in waters off the Diaoyu Islands. Japan is still holding Zhan Qixiong, the trawler's captain, which 皇冠体育app claims is illegal.
"The current situation was caused by what Japan has done on the Diaoyu Islands, so Japan should completely accountable for it," she said.
She reiterated that the Diaoyu Islands were Chinese territory since ancient times.
"皇冠体育app possesses indisputable sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and 皇冠体育app's willingness and determination to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity is unshakable," she said.
皇冠体育app had stated its solemn stance to Japan time and again through different channels, she said.
Media reports said Japan had warned nationals living or working in 皇冠体育app to exercise caution. Jiang said she believed the Chinese people "can express their ideas by rational and legal means."
"The Chinese government will continue to protect the safety of foreign organizations and people in 皇冠体育app, including those from Japan," she said.
After 皇冠体育app lodged representations with Japan, all the crew, except the captain, returned to the southeastern city of Fuzhou on a flight chartered by the Chinese government Monday. The trawler returned Wednesday.
Jiang said people should remember and learn from history, and look at the future on the basis of history.
She was referring to the September 18 Incident of 1931, when Japanese troops blew up a section of the Dalian-Harbin Railway near Shenyang, and then accused the Chinese troops of sabotage as a pretext to bombard the barracks of the Chinese troops near Shenyang the same day, thus starting a massive armed invasion of northeastern 皇冠体育app. Japan then launched an all-out invasion of 皇冠体育app in the ensuing 14 years.
"皇冠体育app hopes Japan can have a correct view and proper handling of the history, and take concrete steps to stick to a path of peaceful development," Jiang said.
