China’s Knowledge And Assertions Of Diaoyu Island And Its Affiliated Islands Around The Anti-Japanese War (1927-1949)

After thoroughly sorting out and expounding Chinese knowledge and assertions of Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands around the Anti-Japanese War, this dissertation finds that, during the Anti-Japanese War, China realized that Diaoyu Islands belonged to China and that the assertion to recover Taiwan also covered these islands. After the victory of the war, with the reappearance of the Loochoo problem, coupled with the appearance of the dispute about fishing rights between China and Japan, China stated all kinds of assertions of Diaoyu Islands, with recovery as the main body, and for a time, virtually controlled the islands.The first chapter of this dissertation is on Japanese coveting and encroachment of Diaoyu Islands. Through the discussion of the relation between the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1874 and its subsequent coveting of Diaoyu Islands, Japanese strategy of encroaching the Islands, and the reasons why Okinawa did its utmost to encroach the Islands, the chapter reveals that the coveting of Diaoyu Islands in 1874 paved the way for Japan to draft its strategies of coveting Diaoyu Islands, that Japan made policies like "waiting for another opportunity" when encroaching the Islands mainly out of the contrast of strength between China and Japan as well as the need of international situation, with the purpose of preventing China from perceiving Japan’s encroachment so as to occupy Diaoyu Islands as terra nullius, and that Okinawa applied for many times to administer Diaoyu Islands mainly out of the demand of Loochoo people and the need to stabilize Japan’s colonial rule over Loochoo, which changed the fate of Diaoyu Islands and made China have to consider Loochoo people’s reactions when pondering over recovering these islands after the war.The second chapter is on the knowledge and assertions of Diaoyu Islands before the victory of Anti-Japanese War. Through the discussion of the Chinese society’s knowledge and assertions of Taiwan, the chapter clarifies that Chinese people at that time didn’t realize the fact that Diaoyu Islands was affiliated to Taiwan in history, but they still saw Diaoyu Islands as the main fishing ground of Taiwanese fishermen. Most importantly, their assertions and principles of recovering Taiwan covered these islands, because, on the basis of fact and scientific principle, the article of occupation of Taiwan in Treaty of Shimonoseki includes Diaoyu Islands. The reason why people at that time didn’t realize the historical relationship between Diaoyu Islands and Taiwan has something to do with China’s own problems. However, this is essentially caused by Japanese long-term invasion of China, especially by the crazy destruction and plunder of Chinese academic institutions and ancient books and classics. In 1941, Tokyo High Court adjudicated Diaoyu Islands administered by Taiwan, which was unlikely to be realized, though. However, this court adjudicated the fishing ground of Diaoyu Islands administered by Taiwan and Taiwan fishermen’s convenience around the islands, which is likely to happen. From China’s research of Loochoo problem at that time, China’s knowledge and assertions of Diaoyu Islands presented differently, which showed that China clearly realized that these islands belonged to Chinese territory in history, but at the same time, considered these islands as a part of Loochoo Islands and asserted recovery of the latter.The third chapter is on China’s knowledge and assertions of Diaoyu Islands after the Anti-Japanese War. Through the discussion of the postwar debate on the Loochoo problem in China, the influence of the international trusteeship on Chinese assertions of Loochoo, and the relation between the Sino-Japanese dispute of fishing rights and Diaoyu Islands, the chapter reveals the rich connotation of Chinese society’s postwar assertion of Loochoo and its relation to Diaoyu Islands, which means that all assertions cover these islands, and that China’s opinion of trusteeship (trusteed by China or co-trusteed by China and America) has the meaning of recovering it. However, because of turmoils and changes in political situations, China’s assertions could not come true. They transferred the safety effects brought by the emphasis of trusteeship, paving the way for the later debate on Diaoyu Islands. Because of the postwar dispute about the fishing rights, in order to safeguard its maritime rights and interests and state the country’s sovereignty, Chinese government not only strived to take Diaoyu Islands into Chinese fishing ground, but also virtually controlled these islands for a time. Nevertheless, due to sorts of practical reasons, this effort ended in vain.The conclusion part concludes the main points of Chinese knowledge and assertions of Diaoyu Islands before and after the Anti-Japanese War, sums up the features and reasons of their knowledge, and responds to Japan’s related assertions.