Nine Chinese activists and their vessel are now back in east
China's Zhejiang Province, but seven others are still being held by
Japanese authorities after their landing on China's Diaoyu Islands
in the East China Sea. Japan claims the islands are part of its
territory.
The activists' fishing boat, Zhepuyu No. 21114, returned to port
in Leqing City on Thursday afternoon after a 6-hour journey.
Yu Haize, organizer of the campaign to land on the islands,
said, "We eventually landed on the Diaoyu Islands, but seven people
who landed on the island were detained by the Japanese coastguard.
We are very much concerned about their situation. The Japanese
government should send them back."
A total of 16 volunteers took part in the mission. The seven
activists, including Feng Jinhua and Zhang Likun, landed on the
island at 6:26 AM on Wednesday after they left a port in east
China's Zhejiang province at 1:00 AM Tuesday.
Japanese warships and helicopters intercepted their ship on
Wednesday afternoon 12 nautical miles off the island as the
activists planned their return home.
The Chinese ship first encountered Japanese warships about 3:00
PM Wednesday and was forced to change its route, leaving the sea
area surrounding the islands.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Thursday that China
demands the Japanese guarantee the security of the seven detained
Chinese citizens and release them immediately and
unconditionally.
Kong said this illegal action by the Japanese constitutes a
serious infringement on China's territorial integrity and an abuse
of the human rights of Chinese citizens.
China has lodged nine protests with Japan, said Kong,
underscoring the government's stance on the Diaoyu Islands issue.
Diaoyu Island and the surrounding islets have been part of Chinese
territory since ancient times and China has indisputable
sovereignty over them.
The Diaoyu Islands were seized by Japan in 1895, when the
country defeated Qing dynasty forces. The islands were under US
control after World War II, and the United States turned them over
to Japan in 1972.
(Xinhua News Agency March 26, 2004)