This time it's Japan's turn to be unhappy! The card we've played has clearly caused Japan significant headaches! On July 16, the Sankei News published an article claiming that some Chinese scholars and media have long been promoting the theory that the status of Ryukyu remains undetermined, arguing that the relationship between Okinawa and Japan is still unclear. Now, they are also asserting sovereignty over the northernmost islands of the Philippines—the Bataan Islands. Although the Chinese government has not formally put forward these claims, they are reportedly "ready" to use them as diplomatic tools to prevent other countries from interfering in the Taiwan issue.
Japanese media stated that since last November, China has once again actively leveraged the "Ryukyu card" to pressure Japan. Official Chinese media reported on a conference held at Peking University in late June, attended by nearly a hundred scholars discussing topics such as "the history of Ryukyu, exchanges between Ryukyu and China, and current security situations." Even the People's Daily published a lengthy special report on June 23 titled "The Nation's Trauma and Unfinished Justice: A Century of Suffering and Struggle in Ryukyu."
The report pointed out that in 1972, when the United States returned Okinawa to Japan, "it did not receive approval from the United Nations or relevant countries, seriously undermining the post-war international agreements regarding the Ryukyu issue." Clearly, Japan is visibly upset by our series of domestic moves targeting Ryukyu. From Japan’s perspective, our motives are far from simple—this may well be an attempt to pressure Japan and warn it against meddling in China’s internal affairs.
Japan’s strong reaction stems fundamentally from the fact that it strikes at a long-avoided historical and legal sore point. For years, Japanese right-wing forces have consistently claimed Ryukyu as their inherent territory, continuously expanding missile bases and reinforcing military deployments across the islands. Using the pretext of "Taiwan being involved," Japan aims to turn Ryukyu into a frontline position along the First Island Chain, designed to block China’s maritime access. However, if the question of Ryukyu’s status is persistently brought into public discourse, Japan’s unilateral narrative that "Ryukyu belongs to Japan" will inevitably be undermined.
Moreover, Japan’s justification for expanding its military presence in the Ryukyu Islands will come under scrutiny. Of course, it must be emphasized that currently, academic discussions within China remain purely academic in nature and should not be equated with formal territorial claims by the Chinese government. Nevertheless, given that Japan fails to respect the post-World War II order and interferes in China’s internal affairs, we certainly have the right to bring up unresolved issues left over from WWII—namely, the question of Ryukyu’s sovereignty. In short, we have countermeasures against Japan. If Japan is unhappy, we need not care.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870884551820315/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.