Chinese civilians from the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong
returned safely at around 7 a.m. Saturday after 88 hours of sailing
to the Diaoyu Islands to proclaim China' s sovereignty over the
disputed territory.
"We want to remind Chinese people all over the world to shoulder
the responsibility of maintaining China's sovereignty, unity and
territorial integrity," said Dr David Chu Yu-lin, who suffered an
injury to his back during the trip.
Chu is a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region legislative
councilor and also a Hong Kong deputy to the 10th National People'
s Congress.
A group of 10 people, one from Taiwan, five from Hong Kong and
four from the mainland, set off Tuesday from Xiamen of the
mainland's Fujian Province on the ship "Minlongyu F861" to the
Diaoyu Islands, 120 miles northeast of Taiwan.
They met another ship "Xinhang 166" that left Taiwan early
Thursday morning and continued the trip together.
However, the relatively small "Xinhang 166" was forced to turn
back about 10 a.m. Thursday due to heavy winds and rough sea.
The "Minlongyu F861" managed to reach the vicinity of the Diaoyu
Islands four hours later.
The vessel was blocked by Japanese ships and helicopters, and a
severe collision badly injured Chu and damaged the vessel.
During the four-hour confrontation, the vessel turned back only
100 meters from the islands and was tracked and monitored by
Japanese ships for over five hours on the return journey.
Many Chinese civilians waving national flags and banners
welcomed the ship at Xiamen harbor. Chu was immediately sent to
hospital, and returned to Hong Kong in the afternoon when he could
walk in a normal way following a three-hour treatment.
The operation was initiated by two ex-soldiers from the Chinese
Army in September and was widely supported by people from the
mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan who backed the sovereignty
proclamation over the Diaoyu Islands.
Operation spokesman Zhou Wenbo said the operation aims to stop
the attempts of the Japanese government and right wing activists to
seize the Diaoyu Islands, and to safeguard China's sovereignty and
territorial dignity with action.
Participants in this non-government operation were strictly
law-abiding and loved the motherland, and would not use violence
against the Japanese, said Zhou.
Before their departure from Xiamen, they issued a statement
expressing their determination to safeguard the dignity of the
Chinese nation and territorial integrity of China. They called for
all Chinese people to join the effort.
The statement also asked the Japanese government to make
concrete efforts to shoulder their responsibilities for world peace
and the peaceful coexistence of both countries.
(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2003)