Dispute With Japan Brings China and Taiwan Closer

More than 100 people gathered outside a Japanese government office in Taiwan on Wednesday. They were there to protest Tokyo’s plans to nationalize a set of islands controlled by Japan but also claimed by Taiwan and China.

The islands, which are called Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, have long been a source of tension in the region.

Wednesday’s protest in Taipei came as a group of activists from Hong Kong stopped in waters off Taiwan to stock up on supplies before sailing to the disputed islands to assert China’s claim to them.

A spokesman for the activists said they would try to land on the islands to claim sovereignty for China, but that Japanese government vessels would likely stop them.

The protests were staged on the 67th anniversary of the Japanese surrender to the Allied forces.

China and Taiwan are increasingly moving closer toward reunification. This territorial dispute offers these Asian neighbors common ground that could be exploited for the reunification project.

“How could anyone fail to see that Taiwan is destined to become a part of mainland China?” wrote Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry back in 1998. Since then huge strides toward reunification have taken place. This territorial dispute may become another step toward that reality.