About 1,000 people marched from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to the Japanese representative office in Taipei yesterday to protest against Japan’s nationalization of three of the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) and to urge Taiwan and China to collaborate in defending their sovereignty over them.
Chanting “the Diaoyutais are ours,” “the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should work to defend the Diaoyutais” and “down with Japanese imperialism,” the protesters, who mostly came from pro-unification groups — including the Labor Party, the Alliance for Reunification of China, the Chinese Association for the Defense of the Diaoyutais and the People’s Alliance for Defense of the Diaoyutais — marched from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to the Taipei Office of the Interchange Association, Japan, the representative office of Japan in Taiwan.
“We’re opposed to proposals to share resources, such as fisheries, around the Diaoyutais with Japan before confirming that the Republic of China [ROC] has sovereignty over the islands,” People’s Alliance for Defense of the Diaoyutais convener Lin Hsia-hsin (林孝信) told the crowd before the march began. “It’s time for the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to put aside our differnces and work together for the sovereignty of the Diaoyutais.”
He asked “Without defending our sovereignty, how can we defend our fishing rights?”
A number of protesters carried People’s Republic of China (PRC) flags as they marched.
As they passed by the Pacific Sogo Department Store — a joint venture between Taiwan’s Pacific Construction Co (太平洋建設) and Japan’s Sogo Department Store — on Zhongxiao E Road, demonstrators chanted slogans urging a boycott of Japanese merchandise.
At one point, a man rushed a demonstrator holding a PRC flag, grabbed the flag, and asked: “Why are you holding this flag? Is this our national flag?”
The two men briefly engaged in a clash before being separated by others.
Chang Chih-min (張志民), another demonstrator who carried a PRC flag, defended the use of the Chinese flag.
“I am Chinese, there is only one China and there is nothing wrong in holding a Chinese flag,” he said. “I am displaying a Chinese flag, so the Japanese will know that Taiwan is backed by its motherland and will cease being so arrogant.”
A shouting match also broke out between a demonstrator and China Times reporter Chen Wen-hsin (陳文信), who was on the scene to cover the protest and wore a sun hat with neck protection.
The demonstrator told Chen he should not wear such a hat, because “that’s the kind of hat that the Japanese soldiers wore when they invaded China.”
“But I am Taiwanese, what you just said is not appropriate,” Chen replied, to which the demonstrator responded: “You young people should learn some history.”
The dispute ended with Chen walking away after saying: “You are very rude.”
Demonstrators gathered outside the Interchange Association, Japan at about 4pm and delivered a letter of protest to Economic Affairs Director Masahiko Sugita.
The letter urged Japan to “return the Diaoyutais immediately to Taiwan. Do not create more hatred in Asia and do not create more enemies for generations to come.”
Clashes then broke out between pro-unification demonstrators and a pro-independence demonstrator, Yang Tzu-fu (楊梓富).
Pro-unification demonstrators were upset by a banner displayed by Yang, which said that the waters surrounding the Diaoyutais were historical fisheries for Taiwanese fishermen and that Taiwan is not part of China.
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