Why would three nations tussle over specks of rock in the East China Sea? Fishing rights and potential gas reserves are one reason Taiwan, China and Japan have staked claim to islands known as both the Tiaoyutais and the Senkakus. Another more important reason is national pride and political calculations, on display today in comments made by President Ma Ying-jeou and a Chinese official. 

When reporting on the escapades of Taiwanese fishermen near the Tiaoyutai Islands, Japan’s NHK played down sovereignty. Instead, it said the fishermen were defending their rights to fish. President Ma Ying-jeou disagrees.

President Ma Ying-jeou
The most important issue was to announce to the world that the Tiaoyutai Islands are the territory of the Republic of China. They are islands inherently attached to Taiwan and are not the territory of Japan. It is land seized by Japan and occupied for 117 years, without yet having been returned to us.

Each of the trio of claimants to the islands is showing its motives.

Fan Liqing
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office
We are compatriots on the two sides of the (Taiwan) Strait, a family. Any action undertaken by either side to defend the interests of the Chinese race will be resolutely supported by all Chinese sons and daughters.

While the politicians chattered, the stars of this protest, the fishermen, visited their local Matsu temple to thank the god for protecting them on their journey. They asked for the government to continue defending their interests.

Chen Chun-shung
Suao Fishermen’s Association
Fishing rights are equal to sovereignty rights. There is a saying: the sea has no national borders. Wherever a fishing boat goes, its sovereignty lies. 

The United Nations disagrees. Its Convention on the Law of the Sea states that territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles from the coastal baseline. The Taiwanese fishing boats entered this zone of the Japanese-administered waters.


昨天台灣漁船及海巡署前往釣魚台宣示主權,台中日三方各有不同解讀,馬總統定調為"主權宣示之旅"。日本媒體NHK則淡化主權爭議。國台辦說兩岸本是一家人,本來就要共同抵抗外侮。 

台灣漁民保釣之戰,NHK觀點淡化主權爭議,認為漁民出海,主張的是謀生權。不過,馬總統親自定調,這可是一場"主權宣示之旅"。

[[總統 馬英九]]
“最重要的呢就是向全世界宣示,釣魚台是中華民國領土,是台灣的附屬島嶼,不是日本的領土,這個是被日本竊佔的領土,竊佔了117年還沒有還給我們”

中國則是繼續呼籲兩岸聯手保釣。

[[國台辦發言人 范麗青]]
“兩岸同胞是一家人,兩岸各自採取的維護中華民族整體利益的舉措,都會得到全體中華兒女的堅決支持”

台日中忙著各取所需,而這次保釣活動的主角們,則是忙著到當地馬祖廟,感謝馬祖保佑這次行動順利平安,也呼籲政府能接續「爭主權、護漁權」。

[[蘇澳漁會理事長 陳春生]]
“漁權等於主權,人家有講過一句話喔,海洋無國界,漁船到哪邊,主權就在哪裡”

不過根據聯合國海洋法公約,沿岸國領土從陸地延伸至海上12浬,皆為沿岸國陸地領土。所以日方堅稱漁民非法進入日本領土。


文章出處 :民視英語新聞

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