On the afternoon of September 27, the Japanese government held a state funeral for the former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was killed in the attack. The Taiwan side sent the former presidents of the "Legislative Yuan" Su Jiaquan and Wang Jinping, as well as the representative in Japan, Xie Changting.
The focus of the media's attention was on the "Taiwan" roll call at the state funeral, which was interpreted as a concrete symbol of "Taiwan-Japan friendship".
Express gratitude for the bronze statue of Abe
The wind of "sympathy" that was set off in Taiwan by remembering Shinzo Abe has also reached Kaohsiung in the south.
In Kaohsiung, a "Hongmaogang Security Hall" dedicated to officers and soldiers killed by the Japanese ship sunk by the U.S. during World War II has built a bronze statue of Shinzo Abe, with a strange stone engraved with Abe's handwriting "Taiwan Come on" erected on one side.
On September 24, Chen Ju, president of Taiwan's "Supervision Institute", Xu Zhijie, a legislator of the Democratic Progressive Party, and Zhang Jixiong, the chairman of the church, jointly unveiled the bronze statue.
After the unveiling, the swordsmen of Bao'an Hall raised their samurai swords to pay homage to the bronze statue of Shinzo Abe, and the participating people offered flowers to pay tribute, and some even knelt down to pay tribute.
Judging from the on-site photos, the back panel of the unveiling ceremony was designed with Mount Fuji as the theme, and lanterns symbolizing the 145 dead souls of Japanese warship officers and soldiers can also be seen.
The organizer recruited friends "spontaneously" to wear Taiwan military police uniforms as pacesetters, saying that it was "to make the event more grand", and the rear was filled with cloth flags with the names of the dead with the Japanese flag pattern.
Chen Ju, who was relied on by Tsai Ing-wen and served as the secretary-general of the "Presidential Office", said in his speech that "Abe's greatest contribution to Taiwan is to internationalize the Taiwan issue and highlight Taiwan's international strategic status", and the creation of Abe's memorial statue "let the world know about Taiwan." People are a grateful ethnic group, thanking Shinzo Abe for his contribution to Taiwanese society.”
The unveiling ceremony, described by the Taiwanese media as "solemn and warm and touching", has indeed become one of the news topics of the day.
As the state funeral approaches, Taiwanese society's sense of intimacy with Japan, which is intertwined with its complex history and hostility to the mainland, including the love for Abe's image of "standing Taiwan", has been mobilized by politicians.
Abe strongly declares that Diaoyu Islands belong to Japan
On the 25th day after the unveiling of Abe's bronze statue, another Japan-related action on the streets of Taiwan seemed relatively lonely.
Hundreds of Taiwanese people gathered in front of the "Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association" on Qingcheng Street, Taipei City that morning, many of them fishermen representatives from all over Taiwan. The fishing grounds are not allowed to be occupied,” and there were also red cloth banners that read “Diaoyu Island is ours” and “Protect fishing rights for survival”.
The protest action of "Discussing the Sea and Protecting Fishing" was jointly initiated by Taiwan's "Diaoyutai Education Association" and "Yilan County Fishermen's Rights Association".
The background is that on September 25, 2012, ten years ago, Yilan fishermen who had been fishing in the traditional waters of the Diaoyu Islands for generations sent nearly 100 fishing boats to the waters of the Diaoyu Islands (called "Diaoyutai" in Taiwan) to declare their sovereignty; ten years later, In order to commemorate the heroic deeds of Yilan fishermen at that time, and also to commemorate the "Defend the Diaoyu Islands Movement" (preserving the Diaoyu Islands), which was surging 50 years ago, mainly with overseas students from Taiwan and Hong Kong, this gathering is here.
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What happened ten years ago?
In Taiwanese society where politicians raise the banner of "Taiwan-Japan friendship", I am afraid it has been forgotten by most people.
In April 2012, Shintaro Ishihara, the then governor of Tokyo, Japan, suddenly launched a "crowdfunding" plan to "buy the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands)".
At that time, some observers pointed out that the move was to force the Japanese government to come forward to "acquire" and complete Japan's "nationalization" process from "declaration of sovereignty" to "ownership" of the Diaoyu Islands.
Sure enough, the Noda Yoshihiko government decided to "acquire" the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islands in the name of the Japanese government at a cost of 2.05 billion yen, and paid the payment on September 11 of that year to officially "nationalize" the Diaoyu Islands.
At that time, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had already decided to run for the new president of the Liberal Democratic Party, immediately stated that the Japanese government must set up a government agency on the island after completing the "nationalization" to reflect the effective management of the island. The Diaoyu Islands launched an armed attack."
After Japan's "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Islands set off a new wave of Sino-Japanese relations, Shinzo Abe, the next prime minister, took a tough stance, declaring that "the Senkaku Islands are Japanese territory and there is no room for negotiation."
Chinese coast guard ships regularly patrol the Diaoyu Islands
The then Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, who was born in the Diaoyu campaign, shifted his focus to negotiating with Japan to sign the "Taiwan-Japan Fishery Agreement" after this round of disputes. and other principles of the East Sea Peace Initiative.
However, the real voice of Taiwanese fishermen is not as "simple" as the official political declaration.
Chen Meixia, a distinguished professor of the Institute of Public Health of National Cheng Kung University and chairman of the Diaoyutai Education Association, recalled in an article the most direct reaction of the Taiwanese Suao fishermen when they learned of the news of Japan's "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Islands:
In 2012, Japan was going to nationalize the Diaoyu Islands. When the news came out, the fishermen in Suao were actually under a lot of pressure.
Because for the fishermen, the Diaoyu Islands are not yet Japanese, and the Taiwanese fishermen have been expelled into such a situation. If the Diaoyu Islands really become Japanese, where should the fishermen go to fish?
At that time, the fishermen had a consensus that they must protect the sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands, and must not allow Japan to nationalize the Diaoyu Islands.
Japan's unilateral "nationalization" has indeed further intensified the turbulent geopolitical waves in the waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands.
The Chinese coast guard ships from the mainland have formed a "normal cruise". According to the statistics of 2021 alone, the total number of days that the Chinese coast guard ships patrolled the Diaoyu Islands reached 332 days, of which 40 days entered the territorial waters of 12 nautical miles; continuous The total number of days of non-stop cruising also reached 157 days.
According to statistics as of September 11 in 2022, the Chinese coast guard fleet has patrolled the Diaoyu Islands for 238 days, of which 27 days have entered the territorial waters, and the number of continuous and uninterrupted cruises has been 138 days.
A Chinese coast guard ship patrolling in the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands.
("Diaoyu Islands - China's Inherent Territory" website)
The formation of Chinese coast guard ships patrolling the Diaoyu Islands can be said to break Japan's one-sided declaration of sovereignty and jurisdiction with practical actions. Moreover, in terms of the tonnage, quantity, and equipment comparison of ships between China and Japan, China's "normalized" cruises have also received a lot of attention from Japan. The effect of the patrol boat being exhausted.
Beijing's similar approach has also been extended to countering the US and Taiwan's use of the "Taiwan card" to deceive one China and provoke the Taiwan Strait. "Normalized" military exercises have actually helped China to declare its sovereignty over the Taiwan issue.
For the sake of friendship and Japan, I lost my position on the Diaoyu Islands
The Tsai Ing-wen government, which came to power in 2016, only aimed at the other side of the Taiwan Strait with the slogan of "protecting sovereignty". As for Japan, which is regarded as an "ally of the anti-China", it may not be included in its words of "protecting sovereignty".
In June 2020, the Ishigaki City Council in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan passed a proposal to change the name of the administrative area of the Diaoyu Islands from "Tono Castle" to "Tono Castle Senkaku", causing great indignation among Taiwanese fishermen.
In order to counter the Japanese move, Lin Zimiao, the mayor of Yilan County, invited Tsai Ing-wen to board the Diaoyu Islands to "hang a door" to declare the sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands.
On the one hand, Tsai Ing-wen claimed that "the Diaoyu Islands belong to the territory of the Republic of China and are within the scope of our sovereignty." On the other hand, he hoped that the public sentiment in Taiwan would cool down. "The more important thing is that the situation in the region is very complicated, and we must remain calm." "Able to maintain regional peace and stability".
Although Tsai Ing-wen has spoken as a president, Hsieh Chang-ting, the representative of Taiwan in Japan who is actually on the front line of foreign affairs with Japan, posted on Facebook, saying, "In June 1971, the United States announced that it would hand over the Diaoyu Islands and Ryukyu to Japan. And it will be implemented on May 15 a year later, and Japan will have de facto jurisdiction since then.”
At the same time, he kicked the ball of responsibility to the long-outdated Chiang Kai-shek government, questioning "what protest did the government of the Republic of China do at that time?"
Former Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba led the "Meeting of Parliamentarians Thinking about Japan's Security and Security" to arrive in Taiwan on July 27, 2022 for a four-day visit to Taiwan.
The picture shows Shi Pomo and Tsai Ing-wen met at Taiwan's "Presidential Palace" on the 28th, and the two exchanged gifts.
(AP)
In September of the same year, a Taiwanese fishing boat from Suao was operating 12 nautical miles west of the Diaoyu Islands when it was collided by an official ship of the Japanese Security Agency, causing outrage among Taiwanese people.
Due to the discrepancy between Taiwan and Japan's statements, the Japanese side believes that the official ship will go forward to drive the Taiwanese fishing boat 12 nautical miles into the Diaoyu Islands.
As a result, Xie Changting's way of clarifying the truth is to quote the Japanese side.
Taiwanese people were puzzled and helpless about his position, so they could only jokingly call him a "representative of helping Japan."
Until 2021, the Japanese government announced the "2021 Defense White Paper", which stated in black and white that "Diaoyu Island is undoubtedly Japanese, and Dokdo in South Korea is also Japanese territory."
Compared with the immediate protest of the South Korean Foreign Ministry, Taiwan's "Ministry of Foreign Affairs" only "expresses its high welcome and heartfelt thanks" to Japan for paying attention to the Taiwan Strait, and never mentions the issue of sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands.
In addition, Shinzo Abe, who was dubbed "the most Taiwan-friendly Japanese Prime Minister in history" by Taiwanese politicians and the media, accepted the invitation of Taiwan's "Influence Forum" on December 1, 2021 after he left office to give a speech, while promoting "there is something wrong with Taiwan." That is, if something happens to Japan, that is, something happens to the Japan-U.S. alliance,” while emphasizing that the “Senkaku Islands” are Japanese territory.
What is even more surprising is that on July 27, 2022, a delegation of Japanese parliamentarians from different parties visited Taiwan. Former Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba declared at a press conference on the 30th that the Diaoyu Islands are inherent territory of Japan, so there will be no Taiwan, Japan is jointly dealing with the problem.
On the 31st, Tsai Ing-wen not only noncommittal, but also expressed her gratitude to the visiting delegation of Japanese parliamentarians.
Emotions of grace do not help fishermen's right to subsistence
Taiwan's official performance on the Diaoyu Islands issue has been shrinking to the point of "not saying a word".
It's no wonder that on September 25, at the scene of the "Discussing the Sea and Protecting Fishing" protest action on the streets of Taipei, Chen Meixia, chairman of the Diaoyutai Education Association, stood in front of the gate of the Japanese agency in Taiwan, and complained bitterly, "The current ruling party protects sovereignty and fishing rights. Weak and powerless, there is no way to implement sovereign education.”
She appealed that as long as injustice exists, all those who want to defend the Diaoyu Islands will continue to protest at the scene.
China's official website "Diaoyu Dao - China's Inherent Territory" details the patrol records of Chinese coast guard formations in the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Dao from September 2015 to the present.
(Screenshot from the website "Diaoyu Dao - China's Inherent Territory")
Lin Yueying, former director general of the Suao District Fisheries Association, who has served in the fishing industry for decades, said that fishermen going to the Diaoyu Islands is like going to their own kitchen, quite natural. This is the living memory of Suao fishing village families for generations.
However, since Japan implemented the 200-nautical-mile economic zone and unilaterally included it in the waters of the Diaoyu Islands, everything has changed. Taiwanese fishermen were fishing in their own territorial waters, and they were even directly arrested by the Japanese warships. .
For decades, Japan's oppression of Taiwanese fishermen almost cut off the livelihoods of the Taiwanese fishermen. In 2005, the fishermen formed an anti-encirclement of the Japanese ships. The direct declaration of sovereignty shows the resolute will of the Taiwanese fishermen to defend the Diaoyu Islands.
And Wu Rongyuan, chairman of the Taiwan Labor Party, who went to support the fishermen, linked the Diaoyu Islands issue with geopolitical relations.
He believes, "The Diaoyu Islands are ours, but today we still need to shout and fight for it. This is a tragedy of history! It is precisely because the sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands has been betrayed and occupied." He said, "In today's severe cross-strait situation Under the relationship between China and the United States, today's event has a very special historical significance. The fishermen of Taiwan and the Diaoyu Islands are jointly protected by compatriots on both sides of the strait. This is a protracted war. I hope everyone can unite together and let the imperialists know that we It is an inch of land, but we must also work hard to ensure a better livelihood for the fishermen.”
Looking back at the history of Japan's "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Islands in the past ten years, we can see that on the 40th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations, Sino-Japanese relations were frozen due to the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands. Normalized cruise has mastered the active advantage.
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations. The political reality of the Diaoyu Islands issue has entered a completely new geopolitical pattern, challenging Sino-Japanese relations and regional stability.
As for Taiwan, one of the parties involved, it has marginalized itself in the political mobilization and excited imagination of the rulers of "Taiwan-Japan friendship" and "joint Japan to fight against China", and is becoming more and more like an "outsider".
The cry of Taiwanese fishermen, which involves the critical moment of survival, is also diluted and downplayed in the politics of the "emotion of grace" unveiled by the bronze statue of Shinzo Abe.
When will the voice of the fishermen reach the ears of the Taiwanese government who are immersed in the joy of "south of the border"?
FAQ:
When did "fishing protection" originate?
The Diaoyu campaign began in the early 1970s. In response to the "return" of Ryukyu, which was entrusted by the United States to Japan in 1972, and wishing to grant and accept it privately, it also granted Japan the administrative jurisdiction of the Diaoyu Islands. Overseas Chinese students, mainly Hong Kong and Taiwan, launched a series of activities. Patriotic protection of the island movement.
What is the attitude of the Chinese government on the Diaoyu Islands issue?
In September 2012, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled "Diaoyu Dao is China's Inherent Territory", which stated that "Diaoyu Dao has been China's Inherent Territory since ancient times, and China has indisputable sovereignty over it" and "strongly urges Japan to respect history and international law". , and immediately stop all actions that undermine China's territorial sovereignty."
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