History proves China's sovereignty over Diaoyu Islands

By Liu Jiangyong (People's Daily Overseas Edition)

16:12, February 02, 2012

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Edited and translated by People's Daily Online

The Japanese government recently announced that it will name several dozen nameless islands, some of which are part of China's Diaoyu Islands. 

The Diaoyu Islands and its adjacent islets were first discovered, named, utilized, and included in the maritime defense zone by China. Since 1372, Ming and Qing diplomatic envoys have always visited the Diaoyu Islands during their trip to the Ryukyu Kingdom. The earliest written record of the islands dates back to 1403 in a Chinese book about sea routes, "Voyage with the Tail Wind." 

In December 1971, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an official statement that the Diaoyu Islands, Huangwei Island, Chiwei Island, Nanxiao Island, and Beixiao Island are affiliated islands of Taiwan. These islands and Taiwan have been an integral part of China's territory since ancient times. 

"It is a well-recognized fact among Chinese, Ryukyuans, and even Japanese that the Diaoyu Islands have been part of China's territory since the Ming dynasty," said Kiyoshi Inoue, a late Japanese historian. 

The Japanese government claimed that the Diaoyu Islands are under the jurisdiction of Okinawa Prefecture. However, the Diaoyu Islands were not included among the 36 islets of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which was annexed by Japan as Okinawa Prefecture. 

Japan used to falsify the name of the Diaoyu Islands in order to annex it. An in-depth research by Chinese scholar Ju Deyuan showed that in around 1838, the Ryukyu Kingdom mistook Jiuchang and Jiumichi islands near Naha for Huangwei and Chiwei islands. The Qing diplomatic envoy to the kingdom was misled, and the Japanese Meiji administration took advantage of this mistake in 1885 to annex the Diaoyu Islands. 

Japanese changed the name of the Diaoyu Islands to "Senkaku Shosho" based on the English name "Pinnacle Islands" used by the British navy, and then renamed it "Senkaku Islands" in 1900, nearly 500 years later than the islands received its Chinese name. It has been proved repeatedly that Japan's intention of renaming the Diaoyu Islands can only backfire, instead of helping it gain sovereignty over the islands.

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