Diaoyu/Senkaku: Beijing turns to geology to press its claim
Beijing (AsiaNews) - China's new Communist leaders do not appear disposed to settle by peaceful the territorial disputes that have pitted much of Asia against it. Despite the new reform-oriented leader Xi Jinping, China is flexing its military and diplomatic muscles in the dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are also claimed by Japan and Taiwan
Beijing is using science as a secret weapon in the dispute. The "Physiognomy and geological characteristics show that the continental shelf in the East China Sea is the natural prolongation of China's land territory," China said in an 11-page report citing the continental shelf's geology to claim ownership of the islands in the East China Sea.
In so doing, Beijing is trying to undermine the legal basis behind the principle of territorial and international waters.
Some analysts believe that China's provocations are informed by a desire of the country's Communist leaders to boost popular appeal. Shaken by sex and corruption scandals, the party is afraid of losing power and so is playing up the nationalist card to whip up fervour and keep people away from domestic politics.
Japan is not standing idly by. In a statement, Japan's Foreign Ministry said China's action was a "further dangerous act" that "escalates the situation."
"China's intention to topple the status quo by use of coercion is clear," the ministry added. "Does China want to see the Japan-China relations pass the point of no return?" If this continues, Japan will consider what will be the appropriate response.
The Sino-Japanese dispute over the islands goes back to 1895 when the islands were incorporated into Japan's Ishigaki municipality. Japan's occupation of parts of mainland China, its defeat in the Second World War and China's civil war between Mao and Chiang Kai-shek complicated matters even more.
The latest crisis was sparked by Japan's formal purchase of the islands from the Kurihara family, which had bought them from Okinawa Prefecture.
Despite attempts at mediation by US President Barack Obama, the crisis has worsened.
When the US leader met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to reduce tensions over the disputed archipelago, four Chinese PT boats entered the islands' territorial waters. Two weeks later, on 4 December, a People's Liberation Army Navy ship did the same for a few hours.
This has occurred several times until 13 December when a Chinese marine surveillance propeller plane flew into the islands' airspace forcing Japan to dispatch fighter jets.
With the election of Shinzo Abe as Japan's new prime minister, matters might get worse.
For the new conservative premier, the islands are Japanese under international law and therefore their sovereignty is non-negotiable.
This worries Beijing. According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, the islands are an integral part of China.
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