Chinese/Japanese Maritime Collision Dispute Ends

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On September 7, 2010, a Chinese fishing trawler collided with two Japan Coast Guard patrol vessels near the Diaoyu Islands located in the East China Sea setting off a diplomatic dispute between the two countries. Joint undersea gas field development plans and a rare earth export agreement were immediately cancelled by China.

China’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu issued a statement protesting the detaining of the trawler’s captain and refused to cooperate with a Japanese reenactment of the Ishigaki Island trawler incident. Yu called Japan’s inquest into the incident illegal and vain and demanded an apology. Also speaking were Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Japanese ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa.

Days later, the trawler and crew were released and returned home. Japanese authorities detained the captain of the Chinese trawler for alleged obstruction of public duties but was released days later. A fishery law enforcement ship was immediately dispatched to the area in addition to increased security.

China claims Japan entered their territory, chased down and boarded the trawler. The captain was placed under arrest. They Diaoyu Islands have a been part of Chinese territory since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and within their maritime borders. In 1895, Japan erroneously claimed the islands as belonging to them.

Following an after dinner meeting in Brussels attended by the Chinese and Japanese prime ministers, a tentative agreement was reached and both will resume relations. The Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated this but added the uninhabited Diaoyu Islands are the sole possession of China. The Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara claimed the islands are their possession.

Tokyo’s Jiji press reported on October 11th the meeting of Defense Ministers Toshimi Kitazawa of Japan and Liang Guanglie of China where they announced a liaison system to avert future maritime disputes as they seek to begin repairing damaged relations although possession of the islands is still disputed. This was the first meeting of the two countries since China discontinued contact with Japan. This was one of the worst conflicts between the two countries in years.

Further discussions are scheduled later in the month at the East Asia Summit in Vietnam and in November at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Yokohama. Attending will be Hu Jintao, President and Paramount Leader of the People’s Republic of China.