Chinese warships carry out drills on anniversary of unequal Japan treaty

Two Chinese warships patrolled the waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands on Wednesday, the anniversary of the signing of an unequal treaty between China and Japan in 1895.

The missile destroyer Lanzhou and the missile frigate Hengshui of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy crossed the Miyako Strait on Tuesday night and arrived at the waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands early on Wednesday morning.

The ships carried out a series of drills in the area after leaving port.

Zhao Xiaogang, the commander of the patrol, whose ships belong to the Nanhai Fleet, told a Xinhua correspondent aboard the Lanzhou that the navy's patrol of the Diaoyu Islands is legitimate and undisputable, as the islands are China's inalienable territory.

The PLA navy patrolled on the anniversary of the historically significant Treaty of Shimonoseki between the two countries, signed on April 17, 1895, after China's defeat in the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95).

Under the treaty, China ceded Taiwan and its affiliated islands to Japan, and paid Japan an indemnity of 200 million Kuping taels.

The treaty was reversed after Japan's defeat in World War II.

Tensions were raised between the two countries over the islands after Japan's so-called nationalization of the Diaoyu Islands and part of its affiliated islets in 2012, as well as Japanese politicians' hawkish remarks over Japan-China ties.

In a national defense white paper published on Tuesday, China accused Japan of "making trouble over the issue of the Diaoyu Islands".

(China Daily 04/18/2013 page3)