It was reported by the Japanese media on September 5 that the Japanese government has reached an agreement to buy the Diaoyu Islands from its "private owners" for 2.05 billion yen ($26.15 million).
This is obviously an illegal and invalid action. But it shows that the Diaoyu Islands issue has turned white-hot and China has to make moves.
There are several actions that should be put on the agenda for protecting the Diaoyu Islands.
China should clearly declare its administrative jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands. Administrative jurisdiction is an important sign of national sovereignty.
Historically, the Diaoyu Islands have been subsidiary islands of Taiwan or Penghu. Currently, Taiwan has announced that the Diaoyu Islands belong to its Ilan county. However, it hasn't been clearly announced whether the Diaoyu Islands should be linked with a province in the Chinese mainland.
The Chinese government should make sure of the baselines of the territorial waters as soon as is feasible and clearly declare its ownership of the Diaoyu Islands through administration.
China should publish a white paper on the Diaoyu Islands as soon as possible. In the paper, it can claim sovereignty, elaborate the historical basis and legal basis of such claims, as well as express its sincere hope for a peaceful settlement of the dispute and steely determination to settle the dispute even through the use of force.
China should establish an institution to take charge of the Diaoyu Islands issue and direct publicity. It hasn't made it clear which government institute or organization is responsible for Diaoyu. This leads to a lack of follow-up activities after strong protests, which will weaken the effect of the protests.
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