Diaoyu Islands cannot be bought

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3. China has taken a strong stance to safeguard its sovereignty over Diaoyu Islands.

During the negotiations between China and Japan on the normalization of their diplomatic relations in 1972 and on the conclusion of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1978, the then leaders of the two nations, with the overall interests of bilateral ties in mind, reached an important understanding and consensus to "leaving the issue of the Diaoyu Island to be resolved later". However, the Japanese government has, since the late 1970s, gone back on the commitments and connived at such activities as landing on Diaoyu Islands and building "lighthouses" by right-wingers. In recent years, the Japanese government has become increasingly involved in infringements on Diaoyu Islands. The Japanese government first "rented" Diaoyu Island, Beixiao Island and Nanxiao Island from their "private owners", then "nationalized" the "lighthouses" built by right-wingers, and finally registered some citizens as residents of Diaoyu Islands. Japan has also deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations of a chart which marks its "territorial waters" around Diaoyu Islands.

China has forcefully stated its firm opposition to these Japanese infringements. Diplomatically, the Chinese government has made stern representations with the Japanese government and has taken strong countermeasures. Under pressure, the Japanese government made clear that it would "not support, encourage or acknowledge" the actions of right-wingers on Diaoyu Islands, promised to restrain them and prohibit them from landing on the islands. Legally, China has taken a number of measures to reaffirm its sovereignty over Diaoyu Islands. In February 1992, China issued the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, which reiterates China's territorial sovereignty over Diaoyu Islands in the form of legislation. On May 15, 2008, China sent a note to the Secretary-General of United Nations in opposition to Japan's depositing with the United Nations of a chart which marks its "territorial waters" around Diaoyu Islands. On March 3, 2012, China released standard names and descriptions of Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands. On September 10, 2012, China released territorial baselines of Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands. In the meantime, Chinese fishery law enforcement vessels conduct routine patrols in the waters around Diaoyu Islands and Chinese maritime surveillance vessels have also patrolled the waters to safeguard and exercise China's sovereignty and jurisdiction over Diaoyu Islands and adjacent waters. All these measures have dealt a severe blow to the Japanese scheme to occupy the islands.

4. Any Japanese attempt to covet Diaoyu Islands is doomed to failure.

Since the beginning of this year, the Japanese government has taken actions one after another over the issue of Diaoyu Islands. Even this year, it staged a farce of naming Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands. Then it encouraged the right-wingers to instigate a political storm around the issue of "purchasing" the islands. Finally, the Japanese government pulled off its mask and revealed its own intention to "purchase" and "nationalize" Diaoyu Island, Nanxiao Island and Beixiao Island. By "nationalizing" the islands, the Japanese government aims to reinforce its "actual control" over Diaoyu Islands and eventually occupy the islands. Yet, no matter how the Japanese government argues and glosses over its proposal, it cannot hide its true intention of "buying or selling" things that belong to others. Anyone with common sense can see it is absurd, illegal and doomed to failure.

The root cause of Japan's wrong stance on Diaoyu Islands lies in the absence of a correct understanding and profound remorse by some forces in Japan of the crime of militarist aggression that Japan committed in the past. At the heart of the matter is a disregard for, and overturning of, international legal documents, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, which determined the post-war arrangements with Japan and the post-war order in the Asia-Pacific region. This amounts to a denial of, and a challenge to, the victorious result of the world war against fascism. In dealing with neighboring countries, including China, on territorial disputes, Japan has failed to show sincere remorse for its past aggression and colonial rule. Instead, it has revealed its intention to recover the "losses" the defeat in its war of aggression had inflicted on it, and save face by creating friction with neighboring countries.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations. Forty years ago, the then leaders of the two countries showed great foresight and political wisdom and overcame many difficulties to resume diplomatic relations between the two countries and put China-Japan relations on the track of normal development. But today some Japanese politicians are going against the trend of the times and damaging the foundations of relations between the two countries, much to the indignation of the people. The current relations between China and Japan have not come about easily. A healthy and stable relationship is not only very important to China, but also vitally important to Japan. We advise the Japanese government to recognize the gravity of the situation, pull back from the precipice, and immediately cease all acts that violate China's territorial sovereignty. The determination of the Chinese government and the Chinese people to defend their territorial sovereignty is firm and unshakable. We have the will and the ability to defend our territorial sovereignty. Any attempt by Japan to covet Diaoyu Islands will end in failure.