Anti-Japan protests in China and Taiwan
- 12 years ago
Scuffles broke out between Hong Kong police and anti-Japan protesters as they charge into the building that houses the Japanese Consulate.
The demonstrators were rallying against Japan's plans to buy the disputed islands.
Tsang Kin-shing, who had sailed to the islands called Diaoyu in Chinese and Senkaku in Japanese, said their anger is now directed at the entire nation of Japan.
(SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) PROTESTER AND FORMER LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBER, TSANG KIN-SHING, SAYING:
"Now it's not just about Japan's right-wing groups or Japanese militarism. Now it's about the public co-operating with the Japanese military. Now the whole nation of Japan is making use of the Diaoyu Islands incident to bolster their politicians' military morale. So I believe Chinese people around the globe are angry. Now we have to defeat not only Japanese militarism, but the entire nation of Japan."
Protests also broke out in Beijing and Taipei.
Chinese held up national flags and sang the national anthem in front of the Japanese embassy.
In Taiwan, which also claims the the islands, around 100 people urged Japan to reverse its decision.
(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) PROTEST ORGANISER WU RONG-YUAN SAYING:
"With the greatest seriousness, we demand Japan stop at the edge of this precipice, and above all demand that Japan's House of Peers make the final check and not let the budget for this plan to so-called "purchase" the islands pass. Only by doing this can they temporarily ease this worsening crisis around the Diaoyu islands"
The long-running territorial dispute flared last month after Japan detained a group of Chinese activists who had landed on the islands.
The isles are located near rich fishing grounds and potentially huge oil and gas reserves.
The demonstrators were rallying against Japan's plans to buy the disputed islands.
Tsang Kin-shing, who had sailed to the islands called Diaoyu in Chinese and Senkaku in Japanese, said their anger is now directed at the entire nation of Japan.
(SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) PROTESTER AND FORMER LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBER, TSANG KIN-SHING, SAYING:
"Now it's not just about Japan's right-wing groups or Japanese militarism. Now it's about the public co-operating with the Japanese military. Now the whole nation of Japan is making use of the Diaoyu Islands incident to bolster their politicians' military morale. So I believe Chinese people around the globe are angry. Now we have to defeat not only Japanese militarism, but the entire nation of Japan."
Protests also broke out in Beijing and Taipei.
Chinese held up national flags and sang the national anthem in front of the Japanese embassy.
In Taiwan, which also claims the the islands, around 100 people urged Japan to reverse its decision.
(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) PROTEST ORGANISER WU RONG-YUAN SAYING:
"With the greatest seriousness, we demand Japan stop at the edge of this precipice, and above all demand that Japan's House of Peers make the final check and not let the budget for this plan to so-called "purchase" the islands pass. Only by doing this can they temporarily ease this worsening crisis around the Diaoyu islands"
The long-running territorial dispute flared last month after Japan detained a group of Chinese activists who had landed on the islands.
The isles are located near rich fishing grounds and potentially huge oil and gas reserves.