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People’s Daily Commentary Challenges Japan’s Claim on Okinawa

beijingwalker

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People’s Daily Commentary Challenges Japan’s Claim on Okinawa

May 8, 2013, 8:08 PM

Amid a long-running territorial dispute between China and Japan over a small group of uninhabited islands, the Chinese Communist Party’s main propaganda organ is questioning Tokyo’s historical claim on another piece of land long important to U.S. defense strategy: Okinawa.

The People’s Daily newspaper on page nine of Wednesday’s edition ran a lengthy and winding commentary by scholars at a prominent state-run think tank that called for a “reconsideration” of the historical status of Japan’s southernmost Ryukyu island chain, which includes Okinawa. The researchers argued foreign aggression toward China during its final Qing dynasty (1644-1911) weakened it to the point where it couldn’t sufficiently oppose aggressive Japanese inroads in the broader region.

“History’s unresolved questions relating to the Ryukyu have reached a time for reconsideration,” the commentary read.

The People’s Daily is widely viewed as the most influential of China’s party-backed newspapers, and is seen as a useful gauge of the leadership’s sentiments on many domestic and international issues when read over extended periods of time.

Nonetheless, individual commentaries don’t necessarily reflect the views of top political leaders, and Beijing officials on Wednesday gave little indication that the commentary represents a potential shift in policy. A spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry wouldn’t say at a daily briefing on Wednesday whether China’s government believes Japan has legitimate sovereignty over the Ryukyu islands.

The Japanese government dismissed the commentary. “There’s no doubt that [Okinawa] belongs to Japan historically and internationally,” said Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga, describing the views expressed in the commentary as “completely out of the question.”

Still, the People’s Daily commentary comes at a sensitive time. Japan and China have been locked in a period of elevated tensions since last year over sovereignty of uninhabited islands west of Japan that are called Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese. The long-running territorial dispute was reignited after Japan’s government decided to purchase the islands from private owners in September 2012.

China viewed the Japanese government’s move as a direct challenge to its territorial claims, and subsequent harsh rhetoric from the Japanese stoked widespread anti-Japanese sentiment, which led to massive demonstrations and riots in some Chinese cities.

The paper — which focused mostly on the issue of the Senkaku islands — stopped short of calling Okinawa a part of China. “Our so-called ‘reconsideration’ is absolutely not saying the Ryukus belong to China or the Ryukus should belong to China,” said Li Guoqiang, one of the authors of the commentary, in an interview on Wednesday.

Mr. Li, a researcher at the state-run Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the ongoing territorial dispute prompted his commentary. “We’re pointing out the facts, telling the Japanese government that if there are questions about the Ryukyus, then they can’t even begin to talk about the Diaoyus,” he said.

Following World War II, Okinawa emerged as a key base of U.S. military operations in the Asia-Pacific region, and it is a cornerstone of the longstanding U.S.-Japan security alliance. But the U.S. military has long faced local resistance from those who feel the island has shouldered too much of the burden for the U.S. presence in Japan. The U.S. and Japan have recently stressed the island’s defensive role to local residents, citing rising tensions with China and North Korea and the role it has long played in U.S. regional defense strategy.

The islands were an independent kingdom for part of their history and a vassal state of both China and Japan during the 19th century, though Japanese and Chinese historians bicker over the details. They were formally annexed by Japan in the late 19th century.
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China gained much during the Qing Dynasty but the losses during the end of the period is painful to remember. In the case of the Ryukyus, Chinese should just do what we are good at - biding our time and simply outlasting everybody else in the neighborhood.
The japs lack for lebensraum and have made numerous unsuccessful attempts to break out onto the mainland. Their homeland is tectonic nightmare, the test of time will grind them into a historical footnote.
 
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@OP

What newspaper this article is from?

It's good China is on the offense now, while she was always on the defense in the recent past, if nothing else she plants the seed of doubt vis-a-vis Okinawa in the world's opinions. China's learning.

Also 1) places Japan as an imperialist and 2) lets people in Okinawa know they have Beijing's support if they decide to have a referendum.
 
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@OP

What newspaper this article is from?

It's good China is on the offense now, while she was always on the defense in the recent past, if nothing else she plants the seed of doubt vis-a-vis Okinawa in the world's opinions. China's learning.

Also 1) places Japan as an imperialist and 2) lets people in Okinawa know they have Beijing's support if they decide to have a referendum.

China Newspaper Challenges Japan
 
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@beijingwalker why havent you posting in indian forum? Anyway.... Why china challenge japan when japan wants war? Werent they openly said to india lets join and have a crack at china? But india replied by saying china not our enemy.... However incursion on no mans land by china made india change its mind.... America india japan came together and now this news.... Best of luck to china. i can only pray for china's safety against mighty america, india and japan.... Comment here....
http://www.defence.pk/forums/indian...-chief-visits-india-s-eastern-command-hq.html
 
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already one thread is running on this...
@Oscar @WebMaster

merge this thread with earlier one...
 
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