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Subscribe to RSSJapanese coast guard ships shoot water cannon at Taiwanese fishing boats in the East China Sea in a territorial dispute. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
About 50 Taiwanese vessels on Tuesday entered waters near a group of uninhabited islands at the center of a bitter territorial dispute involving Japan, China and Taiwan.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed footage of a Japanese coast guard ship shooting water at a Taiwanese fishing boat, while a Taiwanese patrol vessel blasted water at the coast guard ship in reply during an incident near the disputed Senkaku or Diaoyu islands, as they are known respectively in Japan and China/Taiwan.
The Taiwanese vessels – 40 fishing boats and 10 coast guard ships – entered the waters to protest the recent Japanese government's purchase of the islands from a private owner.
But by noon Tuesday all of the Taiwanese vessels had left the area, the Japanese coast guard said, after claiming their rights to fish in the area.
Japan infuriates China by buying disputed isles
The islands were nationalized by the Japanese government this month after it emerged that the outspoken governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, had been in negotiations with the islands' owner to seal a more provocative deal by promising to build an emergency port for Japanese fishermen and various weather and communications facilities.
Osamu Fujimura, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, said during a morning press conference that Japan had lodged a protest with Taiwan.
Yomiuri Shimbun / AFP - Getty Images
A Japanese coast guard vessel (right) sprays water against Taiwanese fishing boats, while a Taiwanese coast guard ship (left) also sprays water in the East China Sea Tuesday.
"In terms of the security surrounding the Senkaku Islands, we will continue to work together with the relevant ministries with a sense of alertness, and gather various information and vigilantly monitor the situation," he said.
"Our position is that this needs to be resolved under framework of our friendly ties with Taiwan, and to deal with the situation calmly," he added.
Chinese protesters: 'The Diaoyu islands belong to China!'
While few experts expect a military confrontation, an unintended clash at sea would increase tension, although all sides are expected to try to manage the spat before it spirals out of control.
NBC News emailed Taiwan's foreign ministry requesting comment on the incident and received a reply saying, "Thank you for your concerns about the issue, and please be patient for our further response."
September 18, the anniversary of Japan's 1931 invasion of Manchuria, is seen as a day of national humiliation in China, marked by protests even when relations with Japan are stable. This year's anniversary came amidst a Sino-Japanese dispute over an island chain called the Senkaku islands in Japanese and known to Chinese as the Diaoyu islands. NBC's Angus Walker reports.
The islands are also claimed by China, which has long regarded Taiwan as a breakaway province that is actually part of China.
Meanwhile in China, Japan's Vice-Foreign Minister Chikao Kawai began talks with his Chinese counterpart, Zhang Zhijun, the first diplomatic meeting between the two countries since anti-Japanese riots erupted over 100 cities across China amid rising tensions over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.
Emotional anniversary reignites anti-Japan protests in China
Before Tuesday's meeting, the Japanese envoy told journalists that he planned to explain Japan's position in a frank manner.
Kyodo / Reuters
An aerial view shows a Japan Coast Guard patrol ship (3rd from top) spraying water toward a fishing boat from Taiwan as Taiwan's coast guard vessel (4th from top) sprays water in the East China Sea Tuesday.
"Considering the difficult situation involving Sino-Japanese relations, we would like to do our best to move our relationship forward,” Kawai said.
Much at stake for US as tensions rise in troubled China Seas
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday suggested that a resolution of the dispute would be difficult.
"China will elaborate on its position on the Diaoyu Islands, demand that Japan correct its mistakes and make efforts to improve Sino-Japanese relations,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said, according to the UPI news service.
Reuters and NBC News staff contributed to this article.
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The paragraph
"The islands were nationalized by the Japanese government this month after it emerged that the outspoken governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, had been in negotiations with the islands' owner to seal a more provocative deal by promising to build an emergency port for Japanese fishermen and various weather and communications facilities."
implies that Ishihara's intentions became known this month. However, he has been talking publicly about (and dealing, not very well, with protests concerning) purchasing the islands for many months.
I wish more military disputes were resolved by water cannons...
This is potentially a flashpoint for a war that will draw in the US. The Chinese claim over the Spratley and Paracel Islands involves the Phillipines, another US ally. These areas could flash into a hot war in an instant. More attention needs to be paid, and contingency plans made, in relation to these three island chains.
You bet Amietamant!
Super Soakers for everyone sure beats the heck out of ICBMs! Great idea and the summer goes on indefinitely! ;*)
These Southeast Asia conflicts are more interesting than a MMA fight. China vs Japan vs Taiwan vs Vietnam vs S. Korea vs The Philippines vs N. Korea etc. Who will win peacefully and who will go to war? Whose economy will suffer and whose will win? Forget the Middle East, these conflicts ares real drama. Stay tuned.
Let them duke it out themselves. Not our effing problem.
HOTTICKET-2304234,
What area does the MAJORITY of your electronics have to be shipped through???
Resources are just one of the reasons, shipping access is one of the others...
The territorial ambitions of China need to be checked (Adolph Hitler and lebensraum). I for one am happy to see that Japan is prepared to tell the PRC to KMA.
THe only solution would be a duel - choice of weapon - water pistols at ten paces. Super Soaker Diplomacy they can calll it.
Stupid governments better get the world economy going before boredom and poverty wipes out the planet.
If only we fought wars this way. Russia, US, and China can all blast each other with water hoses and balloons, everyone has fun, and in the end, world peace is achieved.
Explosions are more entertaining than water cannons. That's why this story is so boring.
Don't be fooled amietamant;
First Water Bullets...
Then Lead Bullets....
Then Nuclear Bullets....
Then Clubs and Stones....
And the Cycle shall repeat itself in the next ten thousand years.
Creation! What a Marvellous Thing !!
IF our electronics and other stuff were made in N. America where people need jobs they can fight all they want over some small islands and we could hold their coats. In order for this to happen of course, you folks would have to start buying from each other. Have to stop taking your made in America paychecks down to the China Mart store and handing them over to China. China got rich off you, and they are using the money to build their military so they can go take things from their neighbors. Need to buy from each other. Then you'll be stronger and we can tell these people to leave us out of it.
WOW-Those Taiwaneses ships are brutal, did you see in both of the pictures, those terrorists are SPRAYING WATER INTO THE EAST CHINA SEA!!! What did the ECS ever do to them? They are really flexing their muscle when they do something as provocative as that to the Japanese. Next thing you know, they'll be shooting potatoe guns and slingshot water balloons at them! Before you know it, this could explode into a giant tomatoe war!! Hell, if they're not careful, the Whale War ships might move in, and then what would the world do? STOP THE BRUTALITY!
Looks like a Chineee fire drill............
Somehow you missed the part of Japanese expansion which is what caused the war in the Pacific in WW II. Are they at it again?
I think it'd be hilarious if the Chinese finally get to seek revenge for the Rape of Nanking against the Japanese...cause after losing WW2, the Japanese military is a joke at best...the Chinese will clean house...and so long as they leave the US bases alone at Yokohama and Okinawa, I hope we just watch them move through Japan and lower the Japanese flag for good. Go China!
This should raise the price of gasoline at least 5-10 cents per gallon.
At least they aren't throwing their shoes at each other.
Water guns!!!!!! cool.
Um.. the only ones in the region who've ever pulled that argument have been the Japanese, 60 years ago.
Also, did you catch the bit about this particular fight being between Taiwan and Japan??? I'm sure the Chinese have water cannons too, but they appear to have kept them in check this time around.
Taiwan has argued that this dispute should be resolved by the UN and Int'l Court of Justice under third party international arbitration. BOTH Japan and China have rejected Taiwan's demand. Those two countries may even be working together against Taiwan to undermine a multilateral approach to solving the problem. The islands are less than 100 miles from Taiwan, 500-600 miles from Japan proper and 300 miles from China proper, and Taiwan has by far the strongest administrative and historical claim of the three.
amietamant,
"I wish more military disputes were resolved by water cannons..."
It's basically a squirt gun war at this point, and, hopefully, it won't escalate into anything more than that. But I wonder who this private owner is that sold the islands to Japan. The article did not name him nor have any of the articles I've seen so far. Who is it, and how did he become owner of the islands himself to begin with? This could draw the U.S. into another war if it develops into anything more serious because we have defense agreements with both Taiwan and Japan, and we don't need yet another war.
Amietamant - You are exactly correct, good idea. This would be a real good way to CLEAN UP the worlds problems.
I hearby claim possession of the islands in question and declare the conflict resolved!
All parties may have access to the land and sea surrounding them, provided they make regular payments to my bank accounts.
So there!
Just another diversion from the troubles we have at home and the raping of our personal freedoms of which we truly have few left, if any.
Japan has territorial disputes with Russia, S. Korea, China and Taiwan.
China has territorial disputes with Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam and Philippines.
The US should stay away from all that crap.
CaliforniaFirst, Taiwan and the mainland China are both Chinese and suppose to be one country (they indeed were before the civil war right after the WWII). Hence you are half right. Yes these islands are very close to Taiwan and indeed are a part of Taiwan's continent. But remember Taiwan suppose to be a part of China as well. That is why it gets so complicated.
One may not ignore history.
There are animosities between people in this part of the world... animosities that were caused by events that took place in the past.
Some of the comments made in this forum, and some of the actions taken by international organizations such as the UN, can be infuriating and even insulting to the interested parties.
Invasion of China by Japan:
During the invasion of China by Japan, Japanese soldiers slaughtered thousands of chinese babies in a very horrible manner: They would toss the baby up in the air, and catch iit with a bayonet, right in front of the horrified eyes of the mother. These cruel acts have not been forgotten by the Chinese.
Why are there 2 Koreas?
Japan invaded Korea. The Koreans fought to regain their independence from Japan. Communist China provided support to the Koreans who were fighting the Japanese litterally bare handed. When Japan was eventually defeated, in another war mind you, Korea became 2 Koreas.
Nowadays, we hear about the world wanting to setup an international monitoring team to review the activities of North Korea. Can anyone imagine the furor of the Koreans if some members of the international monitoring team were actually Japanese?
As a side note, the first president of North Korea, Kim Il Sung, was 13 when his entire family was obliterated by the Japanese. He joined the rebels and fought alongside his uncle, until the creation of North Korea, of which he became president. If anyone has ever deserved a presidency, he has.
Remember the comfort women?
Japan forced women from Taiwan, China, Korea, etc... into sexual slavery for their soldiers during World War II.
These events may have taken place cores ago, but they are still fresh in the minds of many people. And they will play a significant role in how the issue of ownership of these islands is ultimately settled.
Of course it is, by treaty and international law, they arent allowed to have a standing military. Thats why under the same treaty we are obligated to defend them. So yes the US will be heavily involved in any war in Asia, regardless if we want to assist or not..
Look out! It's gonna escalate to launching origami birds soon enough!
But seriously... they buy up land from a private owner and then nationalize the islands? Hmmmm...we should stop f***ing selling land in Hawaii to the Japanese...ooops ...too late... they already own most of the land! Dumba$$es!
Maybe we should buy up all the land in Japan under the Sony and Sharp plants...oh no, wait, they won't allow that. Are we GD stupid? Yes, because we allow our politicians to be bought by foreigners.
F***!!!!!!!!
This news in on the front page of this website. I think Taiwan's President, President Ma, will be very happy tonight.
I don't know, our politicans are already working overtime trying to start a war with Iran.
No, actually our politicians are working feverishly to get their pockets lined with cash by the Japanese - then our politicians will do whatever the Japanese want.
You mean to tell me the Asians are going to enter in to the guinness world records as the first nations to use water cannons in battle? What ever happened to England? Their boats reached almost every part of the water on planet earth.
This whole area has been slowly ratcheting up. The main point of interest, the South China Sea. A huge oil and gas deposits are there and China has set a claim to that whole segment of waters. Taiwan, the Phillipines, Vietnam and India have been disputing the claim. This summer, Russia had signed an agreement with Vietnam to reopen a port. Australia has increased their military budget as it prepares for further escalation. The US is expanding their presence in Australia and their South Pacific fleet.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/06/02/u-s-naval-fleet-to-shift-towards-pacific/
http://news.list-online.com/russia-negotiates-reopening-of-military-installations-in-cuba-and-vietnam/
http://www.fairobserver.com/360theme/gearing-asia-military-ties-and-expenditures
Another article prelude to: The United Nations "Law of the Seas Treaty (LOST)".
Against:
U.S. supports:
Conclusion: Another United Nation means (IMF, G-7, G-8, and G-20) for World Redistribution of Wealth.
MarsRover: Good job on the history lesson. I'd add that the US mostly among the Allies defeated Japan. Russia did a land grab at the end of the war and took half of Korea, now North Korea. That's why we have two Koreas. We had 2 Germanies but Russia /USSR gave it up due to costs. But the Chinese took over as protectors of North Korea after N Korea started the war in 1950 and got their rear ends kicked in 1951. China was not going to allow a proxy state for the west on their border. All the islands in dispute from Japan down to Vietnam and Phillipines were pretty much settled when the US defeated Japan. But now the US is withdrawing from the region or is too weak to keep China under control - having transferred our technology and wealth to them. So China is building a Navy and intends to go get these islands. It is handy to say they have always been in dispute as that allows the weak people to avoid challenging them. Weak people always like to have ready made excuses for not telling the bully to STFU and sitdown. The US spent itself out in the stupid and no value war in IRAQ and then Afghanistan by staying about 10 years longer than we should, and by giving money to Pakisatn we borrowed from China. Make no mistake the Chinese know who we are, and they are not too worried. Unless the Japanese, Koreans and Taiwanese can ally themselves and make an effective stand China will totally take the west end of the Pacific for their own. The US could support them, but it'll be a major mistake for the US to go alone and carry the weight of the action while these other guys sit and let us do it. That will finish us off and them along with us. A nation of retail clerks, office workers and welfare recipients does not make a vigorous population armed with what they need to stand off an up and coming China. We need a manufacturing base for that. But we gave ours to China.
Put all of the leaders on Wipeout and see who wins. They then get the islands!
To MadaTx: "But remember Taiwan suppose to be a part of China as well. That is why it gets so complicated."
You are smoking? Where in the world you find the fact to support your comment that Taiwan suppose to be part of China? Taiwan never paid a penny of tax to communist China, that says all!
I hope you find it funny if Great Britain claims US suppose to be part of England. Now please quit smoking.
Huh? It is a piece of history easily found on everywhere. Taiwan, the physical island I am referring to has been a part of China for thousand of years. Japan took over in WWII but giving it back to China after they lost the war. The Chinese Nationalist Party, the ruling government of China in time got into civil war with the Chinese Communist part, the current ruling government of China. They then fled to Taiwan and became the Taiwan of today.
The battle was over for decades but the civil war has never been officially ended. The mainland China has never said they wouldn't finish the job.
You see this is totally different then the British, US case you brought up. The British lost the war and the colonists officially declared independent which became the US today.
Granted , there are folks in Taiwan hope to declare independent, maybe you are one them, but as of today nothing is official.
The Chinese fleet got through, apparently there is a 'chink' in the barricade...
Hopefully this never escalates any further than this. There is a lot of hate and resentment between these countries. Especially from China because of Japan's past deeds.
It would be very unfortunate if somebody with a weapon more lethal than a water cannon decided to use it.
Read Jeff Heads 2012 Update: "The Rising Sea Dragon in Asia," and the growth of the Chinese Navy see http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2895653/posts
Other Western Pacific nations are monitoring these developments carefully, and in the case of Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, and the Republic of China on Taiwan, are themselves increasing their own ship production and operational tempos as they can, and to modernize and enlarge their own navies. The US has now indicated plans to shift more vessels and other assets to the Western Pacific in response...
The USA is also renewing military ties with many of these Western Pacific nations. Currently - The US is establishing new bases and staging areas in Australia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Selling and supplying new defensive and offensive weapons systems to the other countries...
China is also trying to become involved in the resource development of the Arctic...
While the Arab Spring is causing worries in the EU, Middle East and North Africa. The developments with China and resources are the one to watch...
This area is the factory of the World. Every Country has both high-tech and low-tech industries. It is very much different from the middle east where most of them have nothing to lose if the war started. Unless there is another hidden agenda, we really shouldn't waste our resource in Asia.
China has a territorial dispute with almost EVERY Nation that borders the China Sea...
This is not about the fishing areas or the people living on a few islands. It is the natural resources, including the oil/gas reserves that have been discovered beneath the sea floor around these islands...
China is basing their claim on a map, that appeared shortly after the PLA came to power. Not the UN treaties, trade zones or International Laws...
So far China wants to settle the disputes, one Nation at a time. Where they can use their size and fiscal clout to bully the much smaller countries...
A Brick Wall,
China has been accused of cutting cables on Vietnam research vessels...
China has tried to sell drilling rights in disputed areas close to Vietnam...
China has been found to be violating fishing regulations in the waters near the Philippines...
Just to name a few...
ASEAN which was formed to create a economic/political block similar to the EU. Is currently being blocked by Cambodia the ASEAN Chair (this year) from ruling against China . But next year Myanmar and then later Thailand will be the Chairs. Both of these countries also have environmental issues with China, the China Sea disputes will be a on-going issue, for decades...
Japan has a territorial dispute with EVERY Nation around, also. The list includes Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, and China. Japan is hated by both Korean and Chinese. About 40% of the people in Okinawa don't consider themselves Japanese, etc. Vietnam already sold disputed drilling right, and American Company bought it (Duh!). We, the US, were accused of breaking the cable once because we tried to listen to other people's communications. Anyway, just like our government said, we do not take any position on these dispute. This is a wise move. Now is too late to do anything. Not only our manufacture chains are located in China our Research Centers are also there. These big companies will not let our Government doing anything to angry China. It is bad for the business.
AC Robertson........I agree completely...but can we expand to face this problem when we are mired in endless wars to feed the warmongers who pay off our congress???
Allen-2635884,
The USA would be wise to stay out of this coming conflict...
But past and present treaties will keep the US forces involved...
This will be a Naval Conflict and currently the USA has the better and larger forces...
The US shortage of long-range bombers, less than 130 total, will be our Achilles heel...
In a decade or so this will not be the case. When this happens the USA will be forced to go NUCLEAR...
The US Forces in Korea and Okinawa are the sacrificial triggers or if China attacks one of the US Carriers with a DF-21d...
The farang from Thailand comes out from his hibernation spewing his anti-China rhetorics as usual!
Well it looks like China is the New Sheriff in town and there is nothing that the USA can do to stop them..
And the New Sheriff has the tools to keep the US Navy, thousands of miles away from their coast...
Research the capabilities of the DF-21d - The anti access version of the DF-21(D) Anti Shipping Ballistic Missile ASBM is designed to counter the power projection capabilities of the American Navy... see http://chillopedia.com/military/chinese-dong-feng-21d-worlds-first-anti-ship-ballistic-missile/
Im sorry AC, it is not that simple. The US is and has been upgrading ship born defenses to counter anti shipping missiles. Also, most battle groups have a compliment of subs stationed around them and far off in front of them. These subs carry cruise missile capable of destroying coastal missile emplacements before ships are in range to be fired at. OFC these same subs are more then able to deal with ships that carry these missiles as well. Couple the subs with destroyers deployed with carriers and things become a whole lot more complicated for those missiles.
Then there is the fact that the us would use it's nuclear arsenal if it lost even the better part of one fleet to the Chines and things start looking kinda bad for China ( and the whole world ). Something you have to understand is that China on it's own dose not have enough long range nuclear weapons to ensure the destruction of the US, but the US has enough weapons to ensure the destruction of the entire planet 2 times over.
China it's self knows this, that is why they are not picking more of a fight with these other Asian countries, and it is also why their Anit shipping weapons will probably not be used.
It is true however that that whole area is a time bomb and if I am wrong and China lets the missiles fly, not long after that day, there could be 1.2 to 2 billion less people on the planet and hundreds of million more dead later on. This is certainly no something that most people want to see happen.
Wake up guys, China and US will not attack each other. We are deeply depend on each other. It is completely different from the Cold War that we have nothing to do with the Soviet Union. Our big companies, the major political donors, are invested in China, while China really needs the money to make its people happy since the leader is not democratic elected.
QE137,
The DF-21 was designed to exploit the known weakness of the PHALANX anti missile system and AEGIS defense system...
High angles of attack, very high speed, multiple incoming, defeat the limited amounts of ammunition and targeting/aiming radars...
The cruise missile defense will work when you know where the launch sites are and are making a preemptive strike. Unfortunately there will be thousands and their guidance/target system is space based. Plus the Chinese Military has been digging for decades to harden their command centers...
When the attack comes, the time from launch to target for a DF-21 is around 10+minutes at max range. The USA currently has NOTHING that can defeat them once they are launched...
The USA presently has 10 or 11 active carrier groups, the limiting factor is the aircraft and personnel to man them...
You are correct the USA would go nuclear to protect their assets... Then there would be no winners, just losers...
nanobiomed,
There is no historical precedence for not going to War due to trade agreements...
This is potentially a flashpoint for a war that will draw in the US. The Chinese claim over the Spratley and Paracel Islands involves the Phillipines, another US ally. These areas could flash into a hot war in an instant. More attention needs to be paid, and contingency plans made, in relation to these three island chains.
Are you sure about that?. Israel is a good example of how obama treats our allies, and that means there's a good chance obama wont honnor the treaty we have with Japan.
There you go 7.62x39mm!!!! You got your jab at Obama!!! I'm so sure Mitt Romney would handle it much better since all he wants to do is get us in another war!!!
Japan is not Israel, and China is not Iran. We probably will not attack Iran and absolutely will not attack China.
And last night, Obama was on the View. Tonight, its Whoopi. WE don't have a president. We cave a self-proclaimed celebrity.
Americans need to be less stupid this election day. Send this loser packing.
The guy is a narcissist and whilst I don't doubt his intelligence, if he lacks comprehension of the dangers facing the free West, he's going to be responsible for WW3/4.
It totally amazes me when the political trolls pander their nonsense. It doesn't make a hill of beans of difference as to who holds the office of president - as BOTH parties are beholden to their corporate donors....which is why you will often see a single company make "contributions" to both parties (cover the bases). The whole show is smoke and mirrors - and just another day at the market.
In the meantime - the political trolls blather on that the end of the world is coming (chicken little syndrome) - yet here they are hundreds of years later still pissing and moaning that 'our guy' did/didn't/should/shouldn't win.
And just what was he supposed to be doing? Perhaps sitting with his hand on the launch button? Dolt.
Mitt says he will use whatever force is necessary to protect the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Switzerland !
I guess he should have been reading childrens books to 2nd graders, like your dunce did?
AMEN!
??? (let's try to stay on topic...)
Looks like a giant water gun fight, fun!
This is outrageous, as is most of the world conflicts. Just control oriented leaders who want what they want. This little small blue planet in the middle of a vast universe with insignificant inhabitants who lack the basic skills for living peaceably.
I am thankful we live in a benevolent universe. If not, we would have been shaken off into extinction long ago.
Agree. If god had half a brain - he's shoot this little marble clean out to the fringes until we can stop the killing and destruction.
The game of human life continues, we haven't killed enough, starved enough, destroyed enough...we shall not stop until the bitter end. We fight conflicts over land that one day will become useless because the resources are gong to be depleted because of our greed! We compete against everything that sustains our existence and we will pay for it in blood and tears. Our arrogance will cost us dearly, I believe that without outside intervention of some sort we are pretty much screwed. In 100K years our civilizations will have meant nothing! NP god will just have to start over :)
Wow! That's the biggest floating super soaker water fight I've ever seen. Looks like a lot of fun. Hope they enjoyed it. Just a bunch of kids having a water fight.
ROFLMAO
Geez even the rice countries can't get along. Fighting over fish.Maybe if they learned a little birth control they would not be so hungry. oh wait obama will send them help. LOL
Water pistols at 20 paces!!!
"Maybe if they learned a little birth control they would not be so hungry. oh wait obama will send them help. LOL"
They aren't really fighting over fish... get a clue. Who bailed out the banks BTW? That was Bush. So don't talk about sending anyone help...
Anyway... stupid to fight over a bunch of rocks in the middle of the water. How soon they forget the number of lives lost in World War II and the destruction left.
Okay, Pattie, Obama can apologize for us. Happy now?
Hmmm...They are not just "a bunch of rocks in the middle of the water"; it was reported recently, that natural gas and oil, were discovered in the area of dispute.
The part about Japan "promising to build an emergency port for Japanese fishermen and various weather and communications facilities" is a sly piece of distraction/propaganda, for those uniformed of the true reasons of contentious claims of "rightful" ownership.
Possession/Control of Natural Resources have Always been a obvious reason for governments to artfully - strategically - Invade and Occupy a desired location.
Hmmmm....For some reason, this seems like de ja vu....again....grrrrr
Probably just captured a giant ships "washdown'.
China is trying to go about this peacefully. Imagine if Russia was tying to claim an Alaskan island. Do you think the US would go about it peacefully? Please.
Well played by the Chinese.
They put U.S. ally against U.S. ally. Taiwan vs. Japan. Whom do we support?
I say this time let them fight it out. Enough of our blood has been spilled keeping foreign countries from killing each other. This time lets stay out of it.
South Korea has some dispute with Japan, also. This is some old hatred for Japan's occupation many years ago. I don't think China is behind it.
Don't piss off any of these guys...we need them to outsource unskilled jobs to us.
Dang a p*ssing contest..... Enemy of my enemy is my friend,but the Chinese hate the Free Chinese... Just wait till they start lobbing fish heads @ each other...
It is not just thje Islands, it is the territorial waters that surrond each and everyone. Every coastal country claims a 50 or 200 mile territorial limit. Now put that in all those areas around those islands and that is alot of space and maybe oil? fishing rights? alot at stake. Just divide em up, starting woth those cloest to your home or ortherwise we are going to end up putting a carrier battle group there.
reminds me of 'one tin soldier'
War between China and Japan might be just what the doctor ordered. When cheap Asian goods stop coming across the pond, we'd have to get back to work, and in a hurry. They'd have to unmothball some old factories and repurpose quick or something.
Suddenly, everyone would have jobs.
Your mother raised a fool.
Okay, -god,
You storm the beaches over there and You take the bullets.
Personally, I'm fed up with protecting every nation on the face of the earth.
Oh, and while you're at it, use your omnipotent powers to solve this mess...
From the comfort of your couch with a beer on your gut, farting patriotically? What a hero!
Let's not forget paying for it all with MY tax dollars. And, just so you know--I thought you knew everything--I DO PAY taxes. Lots and lots of taxes.
Yes, I'm probably too old to storm the beaches myself. I'm not suggesting we storm them at all, if you'd read the original post. Let THEM fight it out. My point is if we were suddenly cut off from cheap consumer goods from Asia we would have no choice but to start making them here. Manufacturing is wealth creation. You cannot run an economy on health care and trucking. We have to start producing our own wealth right here.
You told me to storm them. Must be Alzheimers.
Yes, old man, war is good, just like you said in your first comment. Now it's time for your nap.
I agree. Unfortunately, our military-industrial complex has a highly vested interest in our being the world's police force.
Now if only they could keep land combat to pillow-fighting.
Or a farting contest.
Shintaro Ishihara the governor of Tokyo is racist plain and simple. He first proposed the buying of these islands from the owner who lives in Saitama in February of this year it wasn't until April when he announced his intention to build some facilities on the islands that set off the current row. That and the fact that as stated Shintaro Ishihara is a racist.
Only China and Japan have the naval force to enforce their objectives while the rest must depend on diplomacy, still if you look at the geography anyone would wonder how China can claim areas right off the coasts of these other countrys.
now what they need is one of those 3-person water balloon slingshots to counteract the spray guns...
Asian version of a serious pissing contest!
You can see China's point in this by looking in Google Earth, the Islands are part of a undersea ridge from the coast of China not from the Japanese chain and it is closer to Taiwan than it is to say Okinawa. I believe China has a reason to be angered.
China should have made a higher offer to the private owner.
The private owner does not own those islands. China was the original owner of those islands since forever. Japan took it in WW2 and surrendered it to the US. The US illegally gave control of those islands back to Japan because, China turned communist. China want those islands back because, there are huge oil and gas reserve underneath it. Japan and Taiwan dispute is just a waste of time. China is the rightful owner.
Right with you up to "illegally" gave control.... In what universe? Will the cops come? China can kiss our ass. Legally, of course. The reds sat back and waited until the US paid with blood and money to "free" them from Japan, and then they immediately took over China from the free Chinese.
All you morons who think there is or ever has been "international law" or that anyone can or will enforce this imaginary law need to back away from the Hookah. International law is always the first thing out the window.
To the victor go the spoils. When the US gave the islands back to Japan at the end of WWII it effectively makes the islands Japanese territory. It matters not who owned them previously. Claiming the Chinese own the islands because of past claims is like saying the British should still own the US. Once again we have an issue with the Chinese agitating an issue to achieve more territory. China needs to be contained in the 21st century just like the Soviet Union was contained was contained in the 20th.
I think we should declare that we, the US, own those islands. After all, we spent money and blood to take those islands in WWII.
We'd be useless in this situation.....we won't do anything but appease China, and that has nothing to do with who is President. It has to with being able to make (insert product here) for labor that works for fifteen cents an hour. That's all anyone with money in this country cares about, and thanks to the insane Citizens United decision (the only GOOD reason to re-elect Obama), they WILL BE appeased....therefore, so will China.....