BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan on Friday approved new elementary school textbooks claiming China’s Diaoyu Islands as part of its territory. On the same day, the Japanese government conducted an annual review of diplomatic relations with China. In it, China was blamed for the poor state of ties between the two countries. In response, China has urged Japan to stop provocations and be honest with history.
The latest school textbooks approved by Japan show the Diaoyu Islands as being a part of Japanese territory. The ownership of the islands has long been a cause of friction between Tokyo and Beijing. China has repeatedly asked Japan to recognize its legitimate claim over them. In response to the latest development, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Japan had to take a "sincere attitude" towards facing up to history.
"Japan should teach its next generation in these textbooks, the truth about the Diaoyu Islands. That is they are China’s, and that Japan has illegally snatched them away. We demand that Japan stop its provocations on the relevant issue." said Hong Lei, Spokesman, Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Hong Lei added that China was also highly concerned about a Japanese Foreign Ministry blue paper, which also claimed the islands as Japan’s and said China was trying to change the status quo with force.
"Japan’s new Foreign Ministry blue paper neglects the facts, wantonly blackens China’s name and unreasonably criticizes China. We are extremely concerned and very dissatisfied." said Hong Lei, Spokesman, Chinese Foreign Ministry.
But it isn’t just China that is miffed at Japan’s refusal to acknowledge history. The South Korean First Vice Minister summoned Japanese ambassador in Seoul, to protest a similar move by Japan with regard to a disputed island chain between the two countries. Japan has approved textbooks which show the islands South Korea refers to as Dokdo, as being part of Japan’s territory. Japan calls the island chain Takeshima. Both China and South Korea suffered under the Japanese aggression, with parts of both countries occupied by Japanese forces in the earlier half of the twentieth century.
Ties between Japan and its two neighbors have long been held hostage to what China calls Japan’s refusal to acknowledge its militaristic past and a refusal to atone for it. Ties were further strained last year after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the controversial Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo that honors 14 Class-A World War II criminals among Japan’s war dead.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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