国内英语新闻:Japan tows Chinese boat for mock collision, China opposes

BEIJING, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- China expressed on Sunday its firm opposition to any kind of investigation by the Japanese side on the illegally detained Chinese trawler after the Japanese authorities towed the trawler for a mock collision.

In a written statement, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Japan's so-called evidence-taking activities were illegal, invalid and would finally go in vain.

China demands the Japanese side to stop activities that would lead to escalation of the situation and release the Chinese fishermen and their ship immediately and unconditionally, Jiang said, stressing it was the only way to solve the problem.

Early Sunday morning, the Chinese boat was towed to the sea near Ishigaki island in Okinawa Prefecture to recapture the situation when it collided with two patrol ships of Japanese Coast Guard off Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea on Tuesday.

The Chinese trawler under detention stops at the harbor of Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan, Sept. 9, 2010. Japan Coast Guard sent the captain of the Chinese trawler which collided with Japanese patrol ships in waters off Diaoyu Islands to prosecutors in Okinawa Prefecture Thursday morning.

All the 14 Chinese fishermen were on board, Xinhua has learned. They had been kept on boat off Ishigaki harbor. The staff of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo had called on them over the past five days.

No injuries were reported after the collision, but the fishing boat was then intercepted and seized by Japanese patrol ships.

Japan's Coast Guard arrested the Chinese captain of the fishing boat for alleged "obstructing public duties" early Wednesday despite China's protest.

Zhan Qixiong, the 41-year-old captain, was taken to a local police station on Ishigaki island after a local court granted on Friday a request by prosecutors for a 10-day detention through Sept. 19.

Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Sunday told Japan to make a "wise political resolution" and immediately release the Chinese fishermen and fishing boat.

Dai, who made the remarks when summoning Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa in the wee hours, was the highest-ranking Chinese official to make a response after the fishing boat and its crew were seized Tuesday.

"Dai expressed solemnly (to the Japanese ambassador) the Chinese government's grave concerns and its serious and just position," said the Foreign Ministry in a statement.

Dai warned Japan not to make a wrong judgment on the situation and urged it to make a "wise political resolution" and immediately release the fishermen and return the boat.

Niwa said he would promptly report the Chinese position to his government, said the statement.

China decided Friday night to postpone a negotiation with Japan on the East China Sea issue scheduled for mid September, after the Japanese court ruled a 10-day detention through Sept. 19 against the captain despite protests from China.

Previously, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Friday summoned the Japanese ambassador and demanded Japan immediately and unconditionally release the boat and all the crew, saying China's determination to defend its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and the interests of the Chinese people was unswerving.

Announcing the postponement of the talks on Friday night, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said the Japanese side has "ignored China's repeated solemn representations and firm opposition, and obstinately decided to put the Chinese captain under the so-called judiciary procedures."

She said Japan's acts have violated the law of nations and basic international common sense, and are "ridiculous, illegal and invalid."

"Japan will reap as it has sown, if it continues to act recklessly," Jiang warned.

Protests of the public also emerged recently in China against the Japanese move.

On Wednesday, more than 40 Chinese nationals staged a protest near the Japanese embassy in Beijing over the detention of the Chinese fishing boat.

The unofficial China Federation for Defending the Diaoyu Islands organized the half-hour protest on Wednesday.

Witnesses said the protesters chanted the Chinese national anthem while holding up national flags and banners, two of which read "Japan out of Diaoyu Islands" "Diaoyu Islands are China's and so is the East China Sea." Li Wen, a federation official, blasted Japan's act as aggression and demanded release of the fishing boat and crew members, and an apology and compensation from the Japanese government.

If the demands were not met, the federation would organize Diaoyu Islands defenders to land on the islands during the National Day holiday, which runs through Oct. 1 to Oct. 7, Li said.