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Protest in Taipei over Diaoyutais row recognized as patriotic action

ROC Central News Agency

2012/09/23 21:58:57

Taipei, Sept. 23 (CNA) The Presidential Office said Sunday that the demonstration held earlier in the day in Taipei and participated by hundreds of people to protest against Japan's recent purchase of three islands in the disputed Diaoyutai chain was a "patriotic action."

The government will protect the rights of the public to express their voices over the Diaoyutais issue in a peaceful manner, the office said.

In the afternoon, the demonstrators marched to the Taipei office of Japan's Interchange Association to deliver a letter of protest against Japan's move to "nationalize" the resource-rich islands in the East China Sea.

The association represents Japan's interests in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The presidential office said that the Diaoyutais are part of the territory of the Republic of China, as Taiwan is called officially.

"We will not make any concession" on the sovereignty dispute, it said, adding that the government will send Coast Guard ships to protect Taiwanese fishing boats operating in waters around the Diaoyutais in the East China Sea.

Meanwhile, over 60 Taiwanese fishing boats were set to sail for the disputed Diaoyutai Islands on Monday afternoon to protest Japan's nationalization of the island chain and to protect their fishing rights, the Suao Fishermen's Association said Sunday.

In response, the Coast Guard Administration said it will dispatch vessels to escort the fishing boats, but declined to provide further details of its plans.

On Sunday's protest in Taipei, some of demonstrators also called for Taiwan to join forces with China against Japan in the Diaoyutai dispute, while a few protesters waved flags of the People's Republic of China.

But Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Steve Hsia reiterated the Taiwan government's stance that it will not cooperate with China on the issue.

The uninhabited Diaoyutai Islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyu Islands in China, lie about 100 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan. The island chain has been under Japan's control since 1972, but is also claimed by Taiwan and China.

(By Lee Shu-hua, Liu Chien-ban and Elaine Hou)
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