Quote:
Originally Posted by SeijiSensei
Japanese Nationalists Occupy Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands
I can understand the disputes in the South China Sea where there are real resources like oil at stake. This one seems rooted solely in nationalist sentiments based on events that happened half a century ago or more. Resolving these types of disputes without a loss of "face" will be very hard to do, I fear.
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Yeaaahh.... I guess you didn't read the part where Chinese nationalists illegally boarded the island a few weeks back first, right?
Not to mention the riots last week where Chinese mobs destroyed Japanese cars and restaurants in their own country.
Also, the island is contested, but it's still considered Japanese territory by International Law. It has been for over a century. It was temporary controlled by America after WWII, but ownership of the island was Japan's since 1895. Japanese going to the island may be sensitive, but at least it's not illegal.
This whole "OH LOOK SOME RANDOM CHINESE DYNASTY PUT IT ON ITS MAP BACK IN 14TH CENTURY SO IT'S CHINESE OWNED!" didn't even come up till the 1970s.
The Chinese didn't give crap about those uninhabitable islands till then.
Do you know why?
That's when studies showed massive amount of resources under the islands. Gas, oil, etc.
After the reveal, suddenly China started making statements about it belonging to some ancient Chinese dynasty, even though they didn't give a rats ass for eighty years.
So yeah, it's all about resource and money. Nationalistic agenda is pretty insignificant portion of the pie, for all three parties involved.
If resource wasn't an issue, I personally think Taiwan derserves the land, they being the closest to the territory... as well as having control of sea lines, and buffer from the oppressive China. But since there's oil reserve and gas invovled, all bets are off.