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Protests, sirens mark Japanese invasion
Source: Xinhua |
September 18, 2010, Saturday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
Groups of Chinese gathered outside Japanese diplomatic missions today to protest Japan's seizure of a Chinese fishing boat earlier this month as sirens wailed in different cities to mark the 79th anniversary of Japan's invasion.
The protestors in Beijing, Shenyang and Shanghai unfurled banners and shouted "Japan, get out of the Diaoyu Islands," "Boycott Japanese goods," "Don't forget national humiliation, don't forget September 18" and other slogans.
Ten days before the sensitive anniversary, a Chinese fishing boat was seized by the Japanese Coast Guard in waters off the Diaoyu Islands, which China claims sovereignty. A Japanese court later detained the captain of the trawler.
The incident has since triggered Chinese indignation and protests. Though Japan has released the boat and other crew members under mounting pressure from China, the captain is still in detention.
As part of routine commemorative activities, sirens wailed in many cities this morning, including Xi'an, Changchun and Chengdu.
The municipal government of Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province and also where the Japanese army started its assault, said the city will sound sirens this evening to commemorate the dark day.
Officials said sirens will begin to wail at 9:18pm and will last three minutes.
TV and radio programs will pause during the three minutes of sirens. Vehicles on nine main roads and 18 main streets, which symbolize September 18, will stop and blow horns, said the officials.
It will be the 16th year for Shenyang to hold such commemorative activities on September 18 since 1995 to remind people of the national humiliation.
"An outstanding nation must be a nation that respects history," said Wang Jinsi, a member with the Chinese Society for Anti-Japanese War History.
"To remember history is not to remember hatred, but to prevent the tragedy from recurring," he said.
On September 18, 1931, Japanese forces attacked the barracks of Chinese troops in Shenyang. The move marked the beginning of the Japanese invasion and occupation that lasted 14 years.
The protestors in Beijing, Shenyang and Shanghai unfurled banners and shouted "Japan, get out of the Diaoyu Islands," "Boycott Japanese goods," "Don't forget national humiliation, don't forget September 18" and other slogans.
Ten days before the sensitive anniversary, a Chinese fishing boat was seized by the Japanese Coast Guard in waters off the Diaoyu Islands, which China claims sovereignty. A Japanese court later detained the captain of the trawler.
The incident has since triggered Chinese indignation and protests. Though Japan has released the boat and other crew members under mounting pressure from China, the captain is still in detention.
As part of routine commemorative activities, sirens wailed in many cities this morning, including Xi'an, Changchun and Chengdu.
The municipal government of Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province and also where the Japanese army started its assault, said the city will sound sirens this evening to commemorate the dark day.
Officials said sirens will begin to wail at 9:18pm and will last three minutes.
TV and radio programs will pause during the three minutes of sirens. Vehicles on nine main roads and 18 main streets, which symbolize September 18, will stop and blow horns, said the officials.
It will be the 16th year for Shenyang to hold such commemorative activities on September 18 since 1995 to remind people of the national humiliation.
"An outstanding nation must be a nation that respects history," said Wang Jinsi, a member with the Chinese Society for Anti-Japanese War History.
"To remember history is not to remember hatred, but to prevent the tragedy from recurring," he said.
On September 18, 1931, Japanese forces attacked the barracks of Chinese troops in Shenyang. The move marked the beginning of the Japanese invasion and occupation that lasted 14 years.
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