BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- In its longstanding row with Japan over the Diaoyu Islands, China has reiterated its firm will to safeguard sovereignty, and no one should have any doubt about its determination.
The latest round of such affirmation came on Tuesday, when the State Council, China's cabinet, released a white paper stating that "China's will to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity is firm and its resolve to uphold the outcomes of the World Anti-Fascist War will not be shaken by any force."
The message was conveyed yet again on the same day by Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi during a meeting with his Japanese counterpart on the sidelines of the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
"The Chinese side will by no means tolerate any unilateral actions by Japan on the Diaoyu Islands. China will continue to take firm measures to safeguard its territorial integrity and sovereignty," Yang told Koichiro Gemba.
The reaffirmed stance on the islands, although made crystal-clear much earlier, will exert fresh pressure on Japanese decision makers who may have pinned hope on pushing China to back off via their strong-willed moves -- "purchasing," landing and lobbying.
The first two tricks have been proved ineffective already, and the prospects for the third one also look dim.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is scheduled to give a speech at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, in which he is expected to push for what he will call the principle of rule of law in tackling territorial issues.
Noda's attempt to garner international support, no matter how well played, cannot change the status of the Diaoyu Islands because it is now recognized by China as "an inherent territory," as stated in Tuesday's white paper, implying that it will not allow any other country to intervene in resolving issues related to the Diaoyu Islands.
In fact, if the Japanese government had not announced the "purchase" of the islands in the first place, the two sides would still have had chances to work out solutions following a guideline proposed by late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and described as "laying aside differences and engaging in joint exploitation."
But due to the "purchase" drama, a strong sentiment is now shared by the Chinese government and people that a rising and militarily more powerful China should not tread the old path of being bullied and stripped of territories by other countries, notably Japan.
As an ancient Chinese saying goes, "It is up to the one who tied the knot to untie it." Since China was not the one who started the spat, it is reasonable to conclude that it would be willing to put it to a proper end should Japan make good-will concessions.
TOKYO, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe beat his rival ex-Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba to win the presidential election of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) here Wednesday.
Abe won the run-off following the initial round when none of the five candidates secured a majority of votes. Full story
SHANGHAI, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- More than 50 Chinese scholars from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and abroad gathered in Shanghai on Wednesday to discuss a recent dispute over the Diaoyu Islands in the South China Sea.
The seminar was organized by the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, Fangxia Cultural Exchange Association and National Society of Taiwan Studies. Full story
BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government issued a white paper on Diaoyu Dao Tuesday, asserting the country's indisputable sovereignty over it and its affiliated islands.
Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are an inseparable part of the Chinese territory, it is China's inherent territory in all historical, geographical and legal terms, and China enjoys indisputable sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao, the white paper says. Full story
BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun started a consultation Tuesday morning with Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Chikao Kawai on bilateral relations, especially on the issue concerning the Diaoyu Islands.Full story
BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed on Monday that Japan should bear the consequence caused by its illegally "buying" the Diaoyu Islands.
Spokesman Hong Lei made the remarks at a regular press briefing while commenting on the date adjustment of when to hold the reception to mark the 40th anniversary of normalization of China-Japan relations. Full story
BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Instead of trying to remedy its highly provocative actions to challenge China's sovereignty and the postwar world order, Japan has chosen to take another step toward the wrong path, which will ultimately boomerang on itself.
On Monday, Japanese Prime MinisterYoshihiko Nodais to appear before the UN General Assembly to justify Tokyo's policies toward its maritime row with Beijing in an attempt to manipulate or confuse the world opinion on China's indisputable sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands. Full story
BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Japan's "purchase" and "nationalization" of China's Diaoyu Islands is putting China-Japan economic and trade ties at risk due to man-made factors.
Despite repeated protests from Beijing, Japan launched its unilateral move to "purchase" the Diaoyu Islands, which are Chinese territories, on Sept. 10 this year. Full story
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