The Government Must Deliver on Diaoyutai Fishing Rights

The Government Must Deliver on Diaoyutai Fishing Rights
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
September 25, 2012

Summary: Since the beginning of recorded history, the Diaoyutai Islands have fishing grounds for fishermen from Taiwan. In recent years however, Japan began preventing our fishermen from fishing in the surrounding waters. It has even provoked numerous incidents. Taipei and Tokyo have held 16 fishing rights negotiations, but to no effect. This time, besides defending our sovereignty, the relevant government agencies must defend our fishermens' fishing rights. They must not allow the Japanese to yet again play them for fools.

Full Text below:

Yesterday Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement activists held the largest scale Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement demonstration in Taiwan's history. As one beheld the mighty fishing fleet one could only sigh. A half century has changed everything. Yet 42 years later, the Diaoyutai Islands sovereignty issue remains controversial and difficult to resolve. The Japanese government's unilateral "nationalizing" of the Diaoyutai Islands has reignited this unresolved historical conflict. We must safeguard our nation's sovereign territory. We must not surrender even an inch. For the Taiwan region, there are even more pressing practical problems, such as fishing rights.

Since the beginning of recorded history, the Diaoyutai Islands have fishing grounds for fishermen from Taiwan. In recent years however, Japan began preventing our fishermen from fishing in the surrounding waters. It has even provoked numerous incidents. Taipei and Tokyo have held 16 fishing rights negotiations, but to no effect. This time, besides defending our sovereignty, the relevant government agencies must defend our fishermens' fishing rights. They must not allow the Japanese to yet again play them for fools.

Forty-two years ago, the Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement campaign was drawing to a close. A China Times reporter successfully planned and executed an island landing. For the first time, the national flag of the Republic of China flew on the island. Until recently, this was an unprecedented and possbily unrepeatable historical feat. In the 42 years since, every so often the Diaoyutai Islands conflict would flare up yet again. But over time the controversy was forgotten. The resolve of Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement activists has never wavered. They have merely gotten older. Forty-two years later, the Japanese government misjudged the situation. As a result they provoked the largest scale outbreak of Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement protests in years. Eighty percent of the public on Taiwan supports the defense of the Diaoyutai Islands. Yet Blue and Green government officials remain indifferent. We regret having to say this to those who wield political power. But how can you defend our fishermens' fishing rights if you lack the courage to defend our nation's territorial sovereignty?

President Ma Ying-jeou has proposed an "East China Sea Peace Initiative." It is basically consistent with the interests of the public on Taiwan. It also increases the ROC's visibility in the international arena. But the political climate on Taiwan is perverse. The Democratic Progressive Party was in power for eight years. Yet all it can do today is mock the ruling administration. Lest we forget, legally speaking the Diaoyutai Islands are under the jurisdiction of the DPP ruled Ilan County Government. Former party chairman and former Premier Yu Shyi-kun even declared sovereignty over Diaoyutai. A country belongs to all of its people. How can sovereignty be divided between Blue and Green? The DPP is utterly indifferent to defending our sovereignty. This is deeply worrisome. Suppose it returns to power in the future? Will it cavalierly relinquish sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands to others?

Back then the authorities did not permit protesters to land on Diaoyutai. Nevertheless the China Times reporter overcame overwhelming obstacles and landed on the Diaoyutai Islands. National sovereignty is not the exclusive domain of any particular group or person. Safeguarding national sovereignty is everyone's responsibility. Today the China Times Media Group allies itself with the spontaneous, grass roots Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement campaign. The Group President has offered his personal support. He too is motivated by his love of Taiwan and his country. Ironically this love of one's native land, this feeling for one's country, has been coopted by the DPP. It has become stage dialogue spouted by DPP officials, in a "major production," directed by the media, with the acquiescence of the ruling authorities. The ruling party controlling the central government, and the ruling party controlling the local governments, are all civil servants paid monthly by the taxpayers. When are they going to do something for their country? Why have they made defending the nation's sovereignty and fishermens' fishing rights the sole responsibility of fishermen who lack financial resources? Why have they made it necessary for these fishermen to seek private financing? Politicians think only about their own power. But the media should stand with the people. We have asked ourselves what can we do for our country. We have come up with a practical plan of action. The DPP covets the office of the president. But it remains indifferent to the plight of the nation. In which case, what gives the DPP the right to speak ill of others?

Back then, the Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement gave rise to Taiwan's largest student movement. Among overseas Chinese, it led to the Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement controversy. The Diaoyutai Islands conflict is an historical legacy left behind by two world wars. The Diaoyutai Islands are proof of a shared cross-Strait historical experience. The Republic of China government was one of the victors of World War II. But the Chinese Civil War forced it to move the nation's capital from the Mainland to Taiwan. It was unable to oppose the United States' administration of the islands. This provoked intense anger among the public. Mainland China had no say in the matter during the Cold War East and West confrontation. The Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement campaign left an historical wound in peoples' hearts. Today, the international situation has changed. The Mainland has risen. It is a power the world cannot ignore. It is even angrier about Diaoyutai than Taiwan. The reason is simple. Japan invaded a once weak China. The issue must be settled rationally and peacefully. But infringements of our sovereignty can no longer be tolerated. The Republic of China government on Taiwan must speak out on the sovereignty of Diaoyutai. Rights must be fought for. We cannot compromise on the issue of sovereignty. This is the only way to remind the world that the Republic of China exists and is real.

The Democratic Progressive Party ruled for eight years. Fishing boats from Taiwan that sailed into waters surrounding the Diaoyutai Islands were driven away or impounded and fined. The interests of Taiwan fishermen were seriously harmed. The first year Ma took office, Japanese ships sank a fishing boat from Taiwan in waters surrounding the Diaoyutai Islands. , Taipei/Tokyo relations were tense. The National Security Council and a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a solemn protest. They forced Japan to apologize to the boat owners and their families. The long-suspended Taipei/Tokyo fishing rights negotiations were soon restarted. Unfortunately, three years later, the Taipei/Tokyo fishing rights negotiations have led nowhere. This has been galling in the extreme. The recent spontaneous, grass roots protests have proclaimed our sovereignty. Those in power must be bold and resolute. They must safeguard our sovereignty. They must wage a bitter fight for our fishing rights. The opposition DPP must not merely snipe at the ruling administration from behind its back. Only a unified nation can win international respect.

釣魚台護漁 政府這次一定要拿出成績
    2012-09-25
    中國時報

　台灣歷史上規模最宏大的保釣行動，於昨日展開。看著浩浩蕩蕩的漁船船隊，不禁令人慨嘆，半個世紀，足以讓世事全變，然而，釣魚台主權問題，在時隔四十二年後，卻依舊爭議難解；更因為日本政府片面將釣魚台國有化，讓這個歷史懸案重啟爭端；而在維護主權寸土不讓之際，對台灣而言，其實還有更重要且實際的問題，那就是漁權。

　釣魚台自有歷史記載以來，向例是台灣的漁場，然而，日本方面這幾年多次阻撓我漁民在周邊海域捕釣，甚至發生過若干磨擦和衝突，為此台日雙方已經歷十六次漁權談判，卻毫無實際進展，這一次，政府相關部門在堅守主權之外，更要為漁民維護漁權，不容日方再次唬弄過關。

　四十二年前，《中國時報》記者在保釣運動方興未艾之際，策畫並執行登島行動，第一次，中華民國的國旗在島上飄揚，迄今，這都是一樁空前、也可能是絕後的歷史壯舉；四十二年來，幾乎每隔一段時間釣魚台就會爆發一次爭議，然而，在時間的遞嬗間，爭議已逐漸被人們淡忘，保釣壯志猶在，只是已老；四十二年後，因為日本政府的錯估形勢，再爆發這麼多年來的最大保釣民氣。然而，即使有八成民意支持保衛釣魚台，藍綠政府卻出現藍冷綠冰的情狀，我們必須很遺憾的說，手握政治權柄者，若不思維護主權，又談何爭取漁權？

　馬英九總統提出「東海和平倡議」，基本上，符合台灣人民權益，也是讓台灣在國際舞台重現能見度的想法，然而台灣在扭曲的政治生態下，曾經執政八年、如今在野的民進黨，竟只知冷嘲熱諷，別忘了，釣魚台還是依法屬於民進黨執政的宜蘭縣政府轄下，民進黨前主席、前行政院長游錫?也曾宣示過釣魚台主權！國家是全民的，主權豈能有藍綠之分，民進黨今日對主權維護如此淡漠，令人擔心，未來果若執政豈不把釣魚台主權拱手讓人？

　就像當年《中國時報》記者在當政者並不容許的情況下，突破萬難登上釣魚台，因為國家主權不屬一家一姓，維護國家主權匹夫有責；如今，中時媒體集團有感於民間自發性的保釣運動，遂由集團總裁個人支持，也是基於一份愛台灣、愛國家之心，這份對鄉土、對國家的情懷，落在民進黨公職口中，卻成為媒體主導、政府配合的「大戲」，請問：如果執政的中央政府、執政的地方政府、月領人民納稅錢的所有公職，都能為自己的國家盡一分心，哪裡會讓護衛主權與漁權的漁民面臨漁船出港卻無財力支援的窘境？又哪裡需要民間自籌財源？政客想到的是權力，媒體卻和全體人民站在一起，在自問能為國家做什麼事的同時，我們拿出了實際行動，只想到競逐總統大位卻不思國家處境的民進黨，有什麼顏面惡言譏評？

　當年，保釣曾經掀起台灣最大的學生運動，在海外華人世界更掀起保釣論戰，釣魚台是二次世界大戰後的歷史所遺留的爭議，保釣也曾是兩岸歷史脈絡的印證；當年的中華民國是二戰的戰勝國，卻因為內戰播遷來台，無力接收美國託管，而釀起劇烈的民情激憤，對岸大陸則在東西冷戰對峙間毫無發言權，保釣運動在人民心中留下了歷史的傷痕。如今，國際局勢已變，大陸已經是全球不容忽視崛起強國，對保釣的激憤更甚於台灣，原因無他，曾經因為日本的侵華行動而衰弱的中國，必須理性和平，卻不容主權再遭侵犯，而中華民國在台灣又豈能輕易放棄釣魚台主權的發言權！權利是爭來的，主權問題當然不能退讓，唯其如此，才能提醒世界：中華民國在台灣是實際且明確的存在。

　民進黨執政八年，我漁船赴周邊海域不是遭驅離就是扣船罰錢，嚴重影響漁民權益，而馬政府執政第一年，就發生我海釣船在釣魚台海域遭日本船艦撞沉事件，台日關係更一度緊張，在國安會與外交團隊的嚴正抗議與努力斡旋下，讓日方赴台向船東及家屬致歉，當時，即已表明中斷已久的台日漁權談判將在最短時間內重啟，很遺憾的，三年多過去了，台日漁權談判還是未能獲致具體結論，是可忍孰不可忍！這次民間自發做好各種宣示主權的準備，執政者一定要拿出魄力，為維護主權、爭取漁權奮力一搏，在野黨則不能只知扯人民的後腿；唯有團結的國家，才能真正贏得國際的敬重。