To forget history means betrayal: Xu Jianguo argues the case for Chinese ownership of the disputed Diaoyu Dao Islands.

• Author: Jianguo, Xu
• Position: Senkaku Islands in East China Sea

Since 10 September 2012, when the Japanese government announced its 'purchase' of the Diaoyu Dao Islands in a bid to 'nationalise' them, the dispute between China and Japan on Diaoyu Dao has been escalating. Chinas firm opposition to Japan's violation of Chinas sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao and the Chinese people's cohesively strong indignation have combined to deal a serious blow to the arrogance of the Japanese side. However, the disguise of 'restraint' and 'constructive gesture' could not cover up Japan's true intent and restlessness. The Japanese government claimed that 'Japan should make an all-out effort to strengthen its guard over the waters around the Senkaku Islands'. Japanese right-wing forces also clamoured for the building of facilities on Diaoyu Dao to strengthen Japan's capability to confront China. The tension still persists in the area. Many New Zealand friends are concerned about the origin and evolution of the issue. As the Chinese ambassador to New Zealand, I feel fully entitled and obligated to unfold the truthful history of this issue and clarify Chinese government's position on this issue.

Diaoyu Dao is an inseparable part of the Chinese inherent territory. They were first discovered, named and administered by China. The earliest historical record of the names of Diaoyu Dao can be found in the book Vayage with a Tail Wind published in 1403. Diaoyu Dao was under Chinas jurisdiction from the early years of the Ming and Qing dynasty (the middle 14th century till the early 19th century). The 'Roadmap to Ryukyu' in the Shi Liu Qiu Lu written by imperial title-conferring envoy Xiao Chongye in 1579, the Record of the Interpreters of August Ming written by Mao Ruizheng in 1629, the 'Great Universal Geographic Map' created in 1767, and the Atlas of the Great Qing Dynasty published in 1863--all marked Diaoyu Dao as Chinas territory. Maps such as 'A New Map of China from the Latest Authorities' published in Britain in 1811, Colton's 'China' published in the United States in 1859, and A Map of Chinds East Coast: Hongkong to Gulf of Liao-Tung' compiled by the British Navy in 1877 also marked Diaoyu Dao as part of China's territory.

In 1895, Japan illegally grabbed Diaoyu Dao after the Sino-Japanese War. In December 1943, the Cairo Declaration stated in explicit terms that 'all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Manchuria, Formosa [Taiwan] and the Pescadores, shall be restored to the Republic of China. Japan...