White paper makes watertight case for China's Diaoyu claim

BEIJING - The Chinese government's white paper on the Diaoyu Islands has presented ample historical facts to support China's sovereignty claim over the territory, scholars worldwide agree.

The white paper, widely reported by leading newspapers across the world, was issued "at the right time and sent several important messages to the international community regarding the current crisis surrounding the islands," Peter J. Li, ?associate professor of East Asia Politics at University of Houston, told Xinhua.

The white paper "shows with strong historical data that China, as the first to name the islands and exercise administration, has an unquestionable sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands," Li said.

Meanwhile, the white paper informed the international community that Japan's claim of sovereignty over the islands was unfounded, Li said.

"The islands had been never part of Japan. Its acquisition of the administrative right over the islands in 1972 was not legal," he said.

The white paper also indicated the United States was responsible for the recent flare-up of tension between China and Japan over the islands, Li said.

"Holding the Diaoyu Islands under American trusteeship was illegitimate, thus violating the Cairo and Potsdam Declarations requiring Japan to return all territories stolen from China. Transferring to Japan the administrative rights over the Diaoyu Islands was an act violating the interest of a WWII ally, i.e., China." Li said.

"The white paper declares to the international community that China has every reason to defend the interest of the Chinese people. Allowing Japan to seize the Diaoyu Islands is sure to encourage adventurism on the part of the ultra-nationalistic elements and the extreme militaristic factions in Japan," said Li, adding the U.S. attitude over the issue added to the risks for peace and stability in East Asia.

Munene Macharia, professor of international relations with the United States International University (USIU) in Nairobi, was another impressed with the arguments presented in the white paper.

The scholar said the Chinese government had assembled solid historical facts to show the world the Diaoyu Islands had been part of the Chinese territory since ancient times and the country held undisputable sovereignty over the islands.

"The white paper appears to coincide with objective world history as historical maps have always included the territory as belonging to China. The white paper has provided enough evidence to suggest that the territory has been acknowledged by the international community as belonging to China," Macharia said.

Li Mingjiang, an associate professor with Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU), said the white paper's significance was it presented a clear timeline for the islands' sovereignty.

These historical facts would enable more people in different parts of the world to better understand what had truly happened in the lead-up to the current tension, Li said.

The white paper, though not likely to change Japan's domestic public opinion over the issue, might help shed some light for those Japanese citizens who knew little about the whole story of the Diaoyu Islands, he said.

The issuing of the white paper also sent a clear message to the outside world on China's sovereignty over the islands, Li said.

Ukrainian international relations expert Denis Necheporuk told Xinhua that the white paper confirmed that the Diaoyu Islands are inherent territory of China.

"Japan needs to understand that the truth is on the Chinese side. And it's obvious. This is indicated by the historical, geographical and legal facts," Necheporuk said.