日本保安廳巡邏船在釣魚島海域碰撞中國漁船、扣押漁民漁船一事，日本昨日雖然讓14名船員和漁船離去，但是漁船船長詹其雄仍然被拘留，日本以國內法處理此事的本質不變，顯示在中國多番循外交途徑施壓下，日本實際行使釣魚島主權的做法並無改變。事態說明，中國政府以外交手段解決此事，迄今未算成功，也未改變日本實質控制釣魚島的現實。我們認為，中國政府應該拿出實際行動，使「釣魚島是固有中國領土」並非口頭宣示的空話，而是讓世人看到有實質內容的立場。
日本雖准船員漁船離去 以國內法處理本質不變
事發在9月7日，到12日為止，6天之內，中國外交部4次表態，有關官員最少4次約見日本駐華大使。外交部發言人姜瑜所表達言辭，指摘日本以國內法處理此事乃「荒唐、非法、無效」等，不能說立場不強硬；召見日本駐華大使官員層級方面，由外交部部長助理、副外長、外長到國務委員，對日本所施加外交壓力，不能不說是逐步加強，但是中國得到了什麼？只得到並未被拘留的14名船員獲准離去，被拘押的漁船由代理船長駕駛返國；最關鍵的船長，仍然被日本按國內法覊押。也就是說，日本仍然透過拘留船長詹其雄，宣示日本在行使釣魚島（日稱尖閣諸島）的主權。
事發之後，姜瑜每次發言，內容火辣程度無疑逐步升級，但是昨日14名船員和漁船離開日本之後，姜瑜說「目前日方仍非法扣押中國漁船的船長。中方再次強烈敦促日方立即予以放還」，語態顯得有點放軟，不若日前警告「日方如繼續恣意妄為，必將自食其果」般強硬，莫非中國政府已經收貨，任由詹其雄被非法扣押？我們認為，中日這一次外交角力，中國政府的立場和取態逐步升級，或許迫使日本「釋放」了船員和漁船，不過，若中國政府未能改變日本以國內法處理詹其雄船長，則中國政府仍然失敗，日本則藉着日本法律在釣魚島海域有效執行，向世人宣示更實質地控制釣魚島。
這次釣魚島風波，再一次說明領土爭執，無論言辭多麼強硬，效果仍然有限，最多只能得回少許面子，對於裏子卻毫無所得。這種情况，日本知之甚詳，也飽嘗其中苦澀。在庫頁島與北海道之間的所謂北方四島和日本海的竹島（韓國稱為獨島），日本都聲稱擁有主權，但是北方四島和竹島，現在都由俄羅斯和韓國分別以武裝力量實質控制，日本只能徒呼荷荷。中國在釣魚島的處境，其實是日本在北方四島和竹島的翻版。
1979年，鄧小平訪日回答日本記者提問時，對於釣魚島爭議，表示暫時擱下，由更聰明的後代去解決。當時中國在釣魚島問題上放軟態度，若日本以相應君子取態處理，雙方就無爭議，但是，日本卻利用中國的忍讓，不斷部署實質控制釣魚島，包括容許日本團體在釣魚島豎立燈塔、保安廳船艇則在釣魚島海域巡邏，每遇到有中國人乘船到釣魚島宣示主權，都被保安廳船艇攔截和撞擊等。事態顯示中國政府一再忍讓，日本則步步進逼，最新的攔截和扣押漁船、以國內法拘留船長事件，乃日本試圖把低調控制釣魚島，公開向公然佔領過渡，若中國仍然不採取實質有效舉措，則「釣魚島乃中國不可侵犯的神聖領土」只會淪為自欺欺人的空話。
日本霸佔釣魚島是既定國策，哪一個政黨執政都不會偏離，只有執行程度的差別而已。民主黨執政，鳩山一郎雖然對華較友好，但是在要求美軍撤離沖繩一役慘敗下台後，接任的首相菅直人在中國經濟總量超逾日本、日人對中國充滿戒懼之際，又遇上黨內小澤一郎挑戰其相位，在這樣的背景下，菅直人政府藉着這次漁船事件，可能有製造中國這個「敵人」，以撈取政治利益的考慮。當然，最終還要是服膺日本的國家利益。
面對這種局面，兩岸政府的表現使人失望。大陸當局的所謂強硬，停留在口頭上，實際行動付諸闕如，民間義憤填膺要到釣魚島宣示主權，兩岸政府都予以阻撓；這種兩岸政府無力、人民無奈的情况，看在日本人眼裏，一定心中竊笑。
中國艦艇應巡防釣魚島 加快東海油氣資源開發
台灣當局力量有限，能夠有能力保衛國土的，唯有北京政府。我們認為，關於此事，目前中國政府必定要擺出更強硬態度，並以實際行動迫使日本無條件釋放船長詹其雄，真正顯露保衛領土主權和國民權益的決心。
另外，經此一事，中國政府應該改弦更張，把釣魚島列為中國執法船艇（包括軍艦）巡防的範圍，並要有與日本執法船艇在釣魚島海域對峙的準備。中國不應害怕對峙，若中國的船艇不敢在釣魚島巡防，而容許日本船艦在那裏恣意妄為，又怎能向世人說明釣魚島是中國的領土？有人戲稱所謂「保衛釣魚島」，真正做到的卻是日本人。此乃對中國人的諷刺，也是中國人的悲哀！所以中國政府一定要強硬起來，以實際行動展示保衛神聖領土的決心。
至於所謂東海主權爭議，是日本為了爭奪海底資源而創造出來的議題，中國在這方面既佔有先機，就應該加快和加大開發東海油氣的力度，不能再陷身釣魚島的吃虧狀態。
Japan's wilful behavior
THE other day Japan Coast Guard
vessels collided with a Chinese trawler. The boat, its captain and its crew
were detained. Yesterday the boat and fourteen members of its crew were allowed
to leave. However, Zhan Qixiong, its captain, remains in custody. Japan still
intends to deal with him under its domestic law. Clearly, though China has
repeatedly pressured Japan through diplomatic channels, it remains essentially
the case that Japan virtually exercises sovereignty over the Diaoyus.
In the six day between September 7
(on which the incident happened) and September 12, the Foreign Ministry has
commented on it four times, and the Japanese ambassador were called in at least
four times. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu has criticised Japan, saying
it is absurd, illegal and invalid for it to deal with the case under its
domestic law. China's stance on the matter cannot but be described as tough.
The Japanese ambassador has been called in by officials of higher and higher
rank (an assistant to a vice foreign minister, a vice foreign minister, the
foreign minister and then a state councillor). One cannot but say China has
gradually increased its diplomatic pressure on Japan. But what has China got?
Only fourteen crew members, who had not been detained, were allowed to go home.
The trawler went home with an acting captain at the helm. However, Captain Zhan
Qixiong, the key figure, remains in detention under Japanese domestic law. In
other words, the Japanese still want to make it clear to the world that they
exercise sovereignty over the Diaoyus (which they call the Senkaku Islands) by
detaining the captain.
China has again and again exercised
forbearance, but Japan has kept pressing forward. By having the trawler
intercepted and having it and its captain detained under its domestic law,
Japan may have attempted to move from its low-key control of the Diaoyus to its
overt occupation of them. If China still refrains from taking any effective
measures, it will be grossly deceptive to assert that the Diaoyus are China's
inviolable sacred territory.
It is Japan's policy to annex the
Diaoyus. No ruling party would depart from it, though one party may carry it
out more vigorously than another. The Democratic Party of Japan is currently in
office in Japan. Yukio Hatoyama, who is rather friendly to China, stepped down
after he had suffered a bitter defeat related to his demand that the US
military leave Okinawa. Now China is a bigger economy than Japan, the Japanese
are very wary of it. However, Naoto Kan, his successor, is faced with a
leadership challenge from Ichiro Ozawa. This being the case, the Kan
administration may have intended to use the trawler incident to make China an
enemy with a view to gaining a political advantage. Needless to say, he must
ultimately put Japan's interests first.
Beijing's handling of the incident
is disappointing, as is Taipei's. The mainland is tough only in word. It has
taken no action. Both governments have tried to stop indignant Chinese
nationals from sailing to the Diaoyus to assert China's sovereignty over them.
Both Beijing and Taipei seem weak, and Chinese people seem helpless. Seeing
that, the Japanese must be laughing secretly.
Taipei is not strong enough. Only
Beijing can safeguard Chinese territory. In our view, Beijing must take a
tougher stance on the issue and do what may compel the Japanese to release Zhan
Qixiong unconditionally. It must do so to manifest its determination to
safeguard China's territorial integrity and its nationals' interests.
China should alter its approach
completely. It should have its law-enforcement and naval vessels patrol the
Diaoyu waters. It must be prepared for their confrontations with Japanese
vessels there. China should not dread such confrontations. If, not daring to
have its naval vessels patrol the Diaoyu waters, it allows Japanese vessels to
behave wilfully there, how can it declare to the world that the Diaoyus are
Chinese territory? Some have jokingly said only the Japanese can actually
safeguard the Diaoyus. That is a mockery of China and Chinese people's sorrow.
The Chinese government must be tougher and take action to manifest its
determination to safeguard China's sacred territory.
