Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo Thursday afternoon
summoned Chikahito Harada, charge d'affaires of the Japanese
embassy in China, to lodge a solemn representation once again over
Japan's illegal detention of Chinese citizens who landed on the
Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.
Dai pointed out that the Diaoyu Islands have been Chinese
territory from ancient times over which China has indisputable
sovereignty.
He said China strongly protests against Japan's prevention of
the Chinese citizens from landing on the Diaoyu Islands and against
its detention of the seven Chinese citizens who landed on the
islands.
This seriously infringed on China's territorial sovereignty and
Chinese citizens' human rights, he said, adding that the Chinese
government and people will never accept it.
It is a fact that China and Japan are in dispute over the
sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands, Dai said, adding that the
Chinese government has always advocated political negotiations to
resolve the issue.
Since the Japanese side accepts that the two countries have
different views, Japan's detention of the Chinese people according
to its domestic law is a severe violation of international law, Dai
said.
China will never accept Japan's attempts to deal with the issue
according to its domestic laws, he emphasized.
Dai demands that Japan recognize the seriousness of the
situation, and unconditionally release the detained Chinese
citizens. Otherwise, he said, this issue could be complicated and
intensified to jeopardize Sino-Japanese relations. The serious
outcomes from this would have to be borne by Japan, he said.
Dai stressed that the Chinese government and leaders are
concerned about the security of the Chinese citizens detained
illegally, and China urges Japan to secure their safety, and not to
take any action infringing on their dignity or rights.
(Xinhua News Agency March 26, 2004)