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Taiwan’s former leader Ma Ying-jeou rejects Japan’s claims to Diaoyu Islands during mainland China trip
- Taiwanese ex-president denies disputed Diaoyus are Japanese territory after being shown ancient manuscripts at mainland museum, Xinhua says
- Taipei also views the island chain as part of its territory
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Sylvie Zhuangin Beijing
Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou has weighed in on the debate over the Diaoyu Islands, saying Japanese claims to the disputed island chain are at odds with historical records.
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During a Saturday visit to a museum in the ancient imperial city of Xian in mainland China, Ma was shown ancient manuscripts that he said proved that the islands “do not belong to Ryukyu” – the name of a kingdom that was a Chinese tributary state for more than 500 years until it was annexed by Japan in 1879.
The Diaoyu Islands, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, have been a frequent point of friction between Beijing and Tokyo in recent decades.
Tokyo claims the Diaoyus belong to the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, which includes the area once known as Ryukyu. However, Beijing has long disputed the notion that the Diaoyus were part of the Ryukyu kingdom.
Liu Chengyong, director of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture, said Ma viewed ancient texts “indicating the Diaoyu Islands are part of Chinese territory”, official news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday.
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