Diaoyutai: Uphold Territorial Sovereignty and National Dignity

Diaoyutai: Uphold Territorial Sovereignty and National Dignity
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
July 11, 2012

Summary: Disputes have erupted yet again over the sovereignty of the Diaoyutai Islands. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has decided to "nationalize" the Diaoyutai Islands. This has provoked protests from both Mainland China and Taiwan. Actually the Diaoyutai Defense Movement has been fraught with domestic political significance from the beginning. We must uphold our territorial sovereignty and maintain our national dignity. We must not turn Diaoyutai into a political circus. This will require political wisdom and finesse.

Full Text below:

Disputes have erupted yet again over the sovereignty of the Diaoyutai Islands. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has decided to "nationalize" the Diaoyutai Islands. This has provoked protests from both the Mainland and Taiwan. Actually the Diaoyutai Defense Movement has been fraught with domestic political significance from the beginning. We must uphold our territorial sovereignty and maintain our national dignity. We must not turn Diaoyutai into a political circus. This will require political wisdom and finesse.

For years Mainland China, Japan, and Taiwan have all asserted sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands. Most confrontations have been between vessels at sea. In 2008 a Japanese patrol ship sank the Taiwan vessel "Union." The ROC Coast Guard escorted Diaoyutai Defense Movement activists to the islands and enabled them to make a landing. In 2010 Japan and Mainland China ships collided. Right-wing Japanese groups have repeatedly landed on the islands and proclaimed sovereignty. Now however, the Japanese government has decided to "buy" the three Diaoyutai Islands from its "owner." This new move was promoted by Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara.

The ruling Democratic Party's popularity has steadily declined. When those in power show signs of weakness, challengers soon appear. A new generation of political stars such as Osaka Governor Toru Hashimoto is leading a new wave of reformers. Conservative right wingers are also uniting to topple the Democratic Party.

Shintaro Ishihara used the Diaoyutai Islands issue to check Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. Ishihara announced that Tokyo intends to raise money to buy the three islands. Currently the central government is "leasing" the three islands from its "owner." So far Ishihara has received NT $30 million in donations. Ishihara is using the issue to make the Noda government appear weak, and to unite right-wing masses under his leadership. He clearly has Prime Ministerial ambitions.

Noda's popularity has been plummeting. The defection of the Ozawa faction crippled the ruling coalition in the Diet. According to the latest NHK polls, the Noda cabinet's approval rating is now at 27%. Its disapproval rating is now at a 56%. This is a record high for Noda. When political parties or politicians weaken, their confidence is low. At times like these they may be hijacked by extremists. The extremists may be a minority. But if they are vocal and know how to demagogue the issues, they can influence policy.

To avoid Diaoyutai becoming the focus of political attacks during the next Lower House election, the Noda government has decided to up the ante. To bolster its credentials as a defender of national sovereignty, Noda is scrambling to negotiate with the "owner." Panic buying has erupted. This is essentially a domestic Japanese political struggle. Diaoyutai is merely a tool.

That said, the governments on the two sides of the Strait cannot sit and do nothing. Noda is preparing to "purchase" Diaoyutai Island. President Ma Ying-jeou says that relations between Taipei and Tokyo are the best they have ever been. Nevertheless on issues of national interest and national sovereignty, Ma says "We will not yield even an inch." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China also issued a statement. It solemnly reiterated its territorial claims. Mainland Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said China will not allow its sacred territory to be bought and sold.

Actually, shortly after Ishihara announced his intention to "buy" the Diaoyutai Islands, fishing boats from the Mainland entered Diaoyutai Island waters for the first time. Moves to assert sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands escalated. Earlier this month Diaoyutai Defense Movement activists traveled to the Diaoyutai Islands on the Taiwan ship "Quanjiafu" to proclaim sovereignty. ROC Coast Guard ships accompanied them. But the Diaoyutai Defense Movement activists failed to bring along a Republic of China flag. They used a Peoples Republic of China flag to assert sovereignty. The Diaoyutai Defense Movement was already riddled with political sensitivities. This development made it even more controversial. Japan worried that the two sides were ganging up on Japan. Some on Taiwan wondered whether ROC Coast Guard ships were proclaiming sovereignty over Diaoyutai on behalf of the Chinese Mainland. The two sides of the Strait already have sovereignty disputes. Have Diaoyutai Defense Movement activists from Taiwan put the Republic of China government in a bind?

In the face of territorial disputes, the international community invariably advocates peaceful negotiated settlements. But this is pro forma lip service. In reality territorial disputes are seldom settled through negotiations. Nobody wants to do something for which there are no benefits. Nations already exercising sovereignty have no need to talk. Nations that claim sovereignty must be able to recover their territory by force. Otherwise all they can do is shout their claims. All they can do is keep the status of the disputed territory controversial, and to ensure that they are heard. Such proclamations, protests, and assertions can continue for decades. But they change nothing.

If domestic affairs are not put in order, they lead to diplomatic troubles. This is common in international politics. This was true for Argentina, which provoked the Falklands War. This is true for Noda. The national interest is many-faceted. Some interests are urgent and require immediately attention. Others involve fighting a protracted war. If one is led around by the nose by the demands of domestic politics, the nation will be difficult to govern. The ROC faces a sovereignty dispute over Diaoyutai. It must also promote exchanges and cooperation beween Taipei and Tokyo. It must weigh the two and do what it can to uphold the national interest.

社論－堅持主權尊嚴 勿讓釣魚台成政治秀場
    2012-07-11 01:02
    中國時報
    【本報訊】

最近釣魚台群島主權爭議又起，日本首相野田佳彥決定將釣魚台列嶼「收歸國有」，引發中國大陸與台灣的反彈抗議。其實，從當年的「保釣」運動至今，釣魚台一直是個充滿內部政治意義的議題，如何維護領土主權尊嚴，同時避免釣魚台成為政治秀場，需要政治智慧的平衡拿捏。

中、日、台環繞著釣魚台的宣示主權動作，這些年來陸續不斷，大多僅止於海上船隻的對峙衝突，包括二○○八年台灣聯合號被日本巡邏艦撞沉、海巡署護送保釣人士登島、二○一○年日中撞船事件等。日本右派團體也多次登島宣示主權，但日本政府決定向地主洽談購買釣魚台的三個小島，卻是個新的動作，而這是被東京都知事石原慎太郎逼出來的。

執政的民主黨聲勢節節下滑，掌權者一旦力乏勢弱，挑戰者立即紛竄出頭。新生代政治明星大阪市知事橋下徹登高一呼，帶動要求改革的新流派；保守右派勢力也開始集結，有意組黨扳倒民主黨。

石原於是拿釣魚台來將野田一軍，宣布東京都要募款買下現由中央政府向民間租借的三座小島，至今已經收到約新台幣三千萬元捐款。石原不但藉此讓野田政府顯得護土無力又對中軟弱，還能動員右派群眾凝聚自己的人氣，顯然意在未來問鼎首相寶座。

偏偏野田聲望直直落，小澤派出走更讓執政聯盟在國會嚴重跛腳。ＮＨＫ最新民調顯示，支持野田內閣為廿七％，不支持高達五六％，創野田上台以來新高紀錄。當政黨或政治人物力量變弱、自信降低時，往往容易被極端派牽著走，即使極端派只居少數，但只要聲音大、會炒作，就能擴大政策影響力。

為了避免下屆眾議院選舉時，釣魚台問題成為攻擊焦點，野田政府於是決定加碼喊進，以在捍衛領土上表態。野田政府與石原還爭著與地主交涉，出現「搶購」的現象。很明顯的，這根本是一場日本內部的政治角力，釣魚台只是個工具。

即使如此，兩岸政府卻不能緘默以對，對於野田要買釣魚台小島，馬英九總統強調，即使台日關係現在是最好時刻，但基於民族大義和堅持國家主權，「我們一寸都不會讓步」。中華民國外交部也發表聲明，嚴正重申領土主張。中共外交部發言人劉為民則表示，中國的神聖領土絕不允許任何人拿來買賣。

其實在石原宣布要買釣魚台小島後，中國大陸的漁政船已經首度進入釣魚台海域，雙方保釣動作逐漸加溫。而本月初台灣保釣人士搭乘全家福號，在海巡艦艇戒護下赴釣魚台周邊海域宣示主權時，台灣保釣人士竟然沒有帶中華民國國旗，結果用來宣示主權的是五星旗，這讓原已充滿政治敏感性的保釣活動更具爭議。不但日本擔心兩岸在釣魚台問題上聯手抗日，台灣內部也質疑台灣的海巡船是不是去替中國大陸宣示主權。兩岸原本就有主權地位之爭，台灣保釣人士此舉，又置台灣於何地？

國際社會面對領土爭議時，都主張和平協商解決，不過這只是漂亮的場面話，事實上，領土爭議很難能靠協商解決。因為，沒好處的事沒有人想做，已經擁有統治權的國家根本沒必要談，其他宣稱有主權的國家除非有本事動武拿回土地，否則也只能三不五時喊一喊，以保持該地的爭議狀態和自己的發言地位。這些宣示、抗議、表態動作，可以持續數十年，但其實什麼事也改變不了。

內政搞不通，就在外交上惹事，在國際政治上相當常見，當年挑起福克蘭戰爭的阿根廷如此，現在的野田亦復如是。不過，國家利益存在著許多面向，有些是迫切需要立即投注心力，有些則要打持久戰，如果被政治秀牽著鼻子走，將難以維持一個平衡穩定的國家施政。台灣面對釣魚台主權爭議，以及推動台日關係交流合作之間，必須適度拿捏輕重，才能對整體國家利益作最大維護。