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| A Japan Coast Guard patrol boat that had collided with Chinese trawler stops at the harbor of Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan, Sep. 9, 2010. Japan Coast Guard sent the captain of a Chinese trawler which collided with Japanese patrol ships in waters off Diaoyu Islands to prosecutors in Okinawa Prefecture Thursday morning. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng) |
Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue summoned the Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa to lodge the protest.
This was the second time within 24 hours that the Chinese government summoned the Japanese ambassador and lodged solemn representations on this issue.
Hu demanded that the Japanese side immediately release the ship and crew members on board and guarantee the safety of the persons and the ship.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the incident will be handled "in a strict manner based on our country's laws," while top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said he believes the arrest will not affect ties between Japan and China despite exchanges of protests and it is necessary for Tokyo not to "heat up" in dealing with the incident.
Diaoyu Islands appeared on China's map since the Ming Dynasty ( 1368-1644). Fishermen from China's Taiwan and Fujian and other provinces have conducted activities such as fishing and collecting herbs in this area since ancient times.
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 Okinawa islands.
Japan never questioned China's sovereignty over the islands before the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895.
In June 2008, a Taiwanese fishing boat and a Japanese patrol boat collided about 9 km south of the Diaoyu Islands. The Taiwanese ship sank but all crew members were rescued.
Related:
China demands Japan release detained fishing boat, guarantee crew's safety
BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry Wednesday lodged strong protest against Japan over the detention of a Chinese fishing boat and its crew near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.
The ministry demanded the Japanese side to release the detained Chinese ship and crew members and guarantee their safety. Full story
China summons Japanese ambassador on boat interception
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao on Tuesday summoned Japanese ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa and lodged solemn representations on Japan's interception of Chinese fishing boats.
Two Japanese patrol boats collided with a Chinese fishing boat in waters off the Diaoyu islands Tuesday. No injuries were reported from the collision, but then the fishing boat was intercepted by Japanese patrol boats. Full story
