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| Japan's purchase of disputed islands is a farce, says China's next leader | Japan's purchase of disputed islands is a farce, says China's next leader |
| (8 days later) | |
| China's leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping has weighed in on the country's dispute with Japan by condemning the purchase of contested islands in the East China Sea as a farce, according to state media. | China's leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping has weighed in on the country's dispute with Japan by condemning the purchase of contested islands in the East China Sea as a farce, according to state media. |
| The vice-president, expected to take charge when power is handed to a younger generation of leaders this autumn, urged Japan to stop "wrong behaviours", official news agency Xinhua added. | The vice-president, expected to take charge when power is handed to a younger generation of leaders this autumn, urged Japan to stop "wrong behaviours", official news agency Xinhua added. |
| Four days of large-scale and sometimes violent protests in cities across China appeared to have reached their conclusion on Tuesday, the anniversary of the 1931 incident that launched Japan's occupation of northern China. Authorities strengthened their presence in protest areas and made it clear further demonstrations would not be tolerated. | Four days of large-scale and sometimes violent protests in cities across China appeared to have reached their conclusion on Tuesday, the anniversary of the 1931 incident that launched Japan's occupation of northern China. Authorities strengthened their presence in protest areas and made it clear further demonstrations would not be tolerated. |
| The island group, known to China as the Diaoyu and to Japan as the Senkaku, is surrounded by fisheries and environmental resources, but the conflict is also fuelled by historical grievances over Japanese brutality in the 1930s and 1940s. | The island group, known to China as the Diaoyu and to Japan as the Senkaku, is surrounded by fisheries and environmental resources, but the conflict is also fuelled by historical grievances over Japanese brutality in the 1930s and 1940s. |
| The Japanese mission sent an email to China-based citizens, saying: "It seems the protests in front of our embassy have subsided." It cited a message from Beijing police urging people not to protest in the embassy district. Beijing government workers cleaned paintbomb stains from around the building, and many Japanese businesses and factories reopened. | The Japanese mission sent an email to China-based citizens, saying: "It seems the protests in front of our embassy have subsided." It cited a message from Beijing police urging people not to protest in the embassy district. Beijing government workers cleaned paintbomb stains from around the building, and many Japanese businesses and factories reopened. |
| But China's commerce ministry spokesman, Shen Danyang, warned that the dispute would harm bilateral trade, which exceeded £210bn last year. "Japan must take complete responsibility for this," he added. | But China's commerce ministry spokesman, Shen Danyang, warned that the dispute would harm bilateral trade, which exceeded £210bn last year. "Japan must take complete responsibility for this," he added. |
| Professor Hu Xingdou of the Beijing Institute of Technology warned: "The Diaoyu island issue cannot be solved in the short term … it will be an obstacle to the friendship between China and Japan." He said he believed this wave of protests had been bigger and more violent than the anti-Japanese demonstrations of 2005. | Professor Hu Xingdou of the Beijing Institute of Technology warned: "The Diaoyu island issue cannot be solved in the short term … it will be an obstacle to the friendship between China and Japan." He said he believed this wave of protests had been bigger and more violent than the anti-Japanese demonstrations of 2005. |
| While protesters mostly vented their frustrations on Japanese properties or products – attacking businesses and smashing up cars – the Hong Kong government reported an assault against a Japanese couple in its region and urged the public to respect the law. | While protesters mostly vented their frustrations on Japanese properties or products – attacking businesses and smashing up cars – the Hong Kong government reported an assault against a Japanese couple in its region and urged the public to respect the law. |
| Around 50 protesters in Beijing also attacked the car of US ambassador Gary Locke on Tuesday, said embassy spokesman Nolan Barkhouse. "Embassy officials have registered their concern about yesterday's incident with the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs and urged the Chinese government to do everything possible to protect American facilities and personnel," he added. | Around 50 protesters in Beijing also attacked the car of US ambassador Gary Locke on Tuesday, said embassy spokesman Nolan Barkhouse. "Embassy officials have registered their concern about yesterday's incident with the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs and urged the Chinese government to do everything possible to protect American facilities and personnel," he added. |
| The visiting US defence secretary, Leon Panetta, sought to allay Chinese concerns over the US's new focus on the Asia-Pacific region, shortly after meeting Xi on Wednesday. | The visiting US defence secretary, Leon Panetta, sought to allay Chinese concerns over the US's new focus on the Asia-Pacific region, shortly after meeting Xi on Wednesday. |
| He told young Chinese officers and cadets: "Our rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region is not an attempt to contain China. It is an attempt to engage China and expand its role in the Pacific. It is about creating a new model in the relationship of two Pacific powers." | He told young Chinese officers and cadets: "Our rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region is not an attempt to contain China. It is an attempt to engage China and expand its role in the Pacific. It is about creating a new model in the relationship of two Pacific powers." |
| Chinese rights groups have reported that a well-known dissident is being held by police after posting comments about the disputed islands last week. Jiao Guobiao, formerly a journalism professor at Peking University, was arrested for incitement to subvert state power. | Chinese rights groups have reported that a well-known dissident is being held by police after posting comments about the disputed islands last week. Jiao Guobiao, formerly a journalism professor at Peking University, was arrested for incitement to subvert state power. |
| According to the South China Morning Post, Jiao was detained over open letters he posted online to Ma Ying-jeou, president of Taiwan, and the nationalist Tokyo governor, Shintaro Ishihara, whose proposal to buy the Diaoyu islands triggered the Japanese government's purchase. | According to the South China Morning Post, Jiao was detained over open letters he posted online to Ma Ying-jeou, president of Taiwan, and the nationalist Tokyo governor, Shintaro Ishihara, whose proposal to buy the Diaoyu islands triggered the Japanese government's purchase. |
| In his letter to Ishihara, Jiao wrote satirically that he would donate money to help Japan buy the Diaoyu islands and even the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing. His letter to Ma said that if the islands were owned by Beijing, "they will become another pig sty where it can arbitrarily carry out abuses".. | In his letter to Ishihara, Jiao wrote satirically that he would donate money to help Japan buy the Diaoyu islands and even the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing. His letter to Ma said that if the islands were owned by Beijing, "they will become another pig sty where it can arbitrarily carry out abuses".. |
| In Japan, police said they believed a small fire at the gates of a Chinese school in Kobe was set because of the dispute. | In Japan, police said they believed a small fire at the gates of a Chinese school in Kobe was set because of the dispute. |
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