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China again tells Japan to set boat, crew free
Source: Agencies |
September 13, 2010, Monday
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China increased pressure on Japan yesterday by again summoning its ambassador to demand the immediate release of Chinese fishermen and their boat detained near Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.
State Councilor Dai Bingguo called in Japan's Ambassador Uichiro Niwa early yesterday. It was the fourth time that Niwa has been summoned over the incident.
Two Japan Coast Guard patrol ships collided with the fishing boat last Tuesday. The Japanese seized the Chinese boat and arrested its captain for alleged "obstructing public duties" early Wednesday despite China's protest.
Dai warned Japan not to make a wrong judgment on the situation and urged it to find a "wise political resolution" and release the crew and boat immediately, the Foreign Ministry said. Niwa replied he would report China's position to Tokyo, it said.
Early yesterday morning, the Chinese boat was towed to the sea near Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture to recapture the situation when it collided with the two Japanese patrol ships last Tuesday. A Japanese ship closely trailed the fishing boat as it maneuvered in the ocean with coast guard members on board.
China said it firmly opposed any form of investigation by Japanese authorities into the fishing boat.
"Japan's so-called gathering of evidence is illegal, invalid and futile," Foreign Uministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said yesterday. "China urges Japan to stop actions that escalate the situation and immediately and unconditionally release the crew and ship. This is the only way to solve the problem."
About 20 Chinese activists, meanwhile, planned to sail yesterday from the eastern city of Xiamen to waters near Diaoyu Islands.
They plan to unfurl banners proclaiming Chinese sovereignty over the territory and protest Japanese aggression, said organizer Li Yiqiang.
"We're going to protest, to make it clear that these islands are China's and there can be no bending on that," Li said.
But their departure was postponed, with no fresh time set, Li said later. He gave no reasons for the delay.
A Japanese court has allowed prosecutors to keep the boat captain in custody until September 19 before deciding whether to press charges. Japanese authorities say the other 14 crew members have remained on the fishing boat and cannot land in Japan because they do not have passports, but are free to return home if China sends a vessel to pick them up.
In a sign of its anger, China called off planned talks with Japan over an undersea gas bed dispute in the East China Sea and warned that worse repercussions may follow.
State Councilor Dai Bingguo called in Japan's Ambassador Uichiro Niwa early yesterday. It was the fourth time that Niwa has been summoned over the incident.
Two Japan Coast Guard patrol ships collided with the fishing boat last Tuesday. The Japanese seized the Chinese boat and arrested its captain for alleged "obstructing public duties" early Wednesday despite China's protest.
Dai warned Japan not to make a wrong judgment on the situation and urged it to find a "wise political resolution" and release the crew and boat immediately, the Foreign Ministry said. Niwa replied he would report China's position to Tokyo, it said.
Early yesterday morning, the Chinese boat was towed to the sea near Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture to recapture the situation when it collided with the two Japanese patrol ships last Tuesday. A Japanese ship closely trailed the fishing boat as it maneuvered in the ocean with coast guard members on board.
China said it firmly opposed any form of investigation by Japanese authorities into the fishing boat.
"Japan's so-called gathering of evidence is illegal, invalid and futile," Foreign Uministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said yesterday. "China urges Japan to stop actions that escalate the situation and immediately and unconditionally release the crew and ship. This is the only way to solve the problem."
About 20 Chinese activists, meanwhile, planned to sail yesterday from the eastern city of Xiamen to waters near Diaoyu Islands.
They plan to unfurl banners proclaiming Chinese sovereignty over the territory and protest Japanese aggression, said organizer Li Yiqiang.
"We're going to protest, to make it clear that these islands are China's and there can be no bending on that," Li said.
But their departure was postponed, with no fresh time set, Li said later. He gave no reasons for the delay.
A Japanese court has allowed prosecutors to keep the boat captain in custody until September 19 before deciding whether to press charges. Japanese authorities say the other 14 crew members have remained on the fishing boat and cannot land in Japan because they do not have passports, but are free to return home if China sends a vessel to pick them up.
In a sign of its anger, China called off planned talks with Japan over an undersea gas bed dispute in the East China Sea and warned that worse repercussions may follow.
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