Why the Diaoyu Islands cannot be inhabited (historical reasons and interpretation of international law)

The Diaoyu Islands are located in the East China Sea and are part of China’s inherent territory. However, despite its strategic location and rich resources, the Diaoyu Islands have never been inhabited. This raises people's questions: Why can't the Diaoyu Islands be inhabited? This article will interpret this issue from the perspective of historical reasons and international law.

1. Historical reasons

The uninhabited Diaoyu Islands are mainly due to historical reasons. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Chinese fishermen had been fishing and collecting resources near the Diaoyu Islands. This is strong evidence of China's sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands. However, in 1895, after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, Japan forcibly ceded Taiwan and its affiliated islands, including the Diaoyu Islands, through the Treaty of Shimonoseki. After that, Japan began to colonize the Diaoyu Islands and banned Chinese fishermen from entering the islands. After the end of World War II, in accordance with the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, Japan unconditionally surrendered and returned Taiwan and its affiliated islands to China. However, due to the special geographical location and potential resource value of the Diaoyu Islands, China and Japan have disputes over the ownership of the Diaoyu Islands.

2. Interpretation of International Law

According to the principles of international law, territorial sovereignty is one of the cores of national sovereignty. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, in order for an island to be considered an “island”, it must meet three conditions: first, the island must be able to naturally support human habitation or economic life; second, the island must have human habitation or economic activities. evidence; finally, the island must be recognized internationally as part of the country.

From this perspective, the Diaoyu Islands fully meet the definition of an island. However, due to historical reasons and disputes between China and Japan, the sovereignty issue of the Diaoyu Islands has not yet been finally resolved. The international community generally believes that the sovereignty dispute over the Diaoyu Islands should be resolved through peaceful consultations rather than unilateral actions.

3. Current Situation of the Diaoyu Islands

Currently, the Diaoyu Islands are still uninhabited. Although China has always insisted on its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands, Chinese fishermen are unable to enter and fish because Japan actually controls the islands. In addition, due to the sovereignty dispute over the Diaoyu Islands, the stability and security issues in the region have also attracted much attention. China and Japan should resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

Conclusion

Why the Diaoyu Islands cannot be inhabited is a complicated question. Both historical reasons and interpretations of international law explain this. However, in any case, the Diaoyu Islands are China's inherent territory. China will continue to insist on its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and is willing to resolve disputes through peaceful negotiations. It is hoped that China and Japan can jointly maintain regional peace and stability through dialogue and consultation and achieve a mutually beneficial and win-win situation.

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