Seven Chinese activists land on Diaoyu Islands

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Seven Chinese activists land on Diaoyu Islands

Seven Chinese activists landed on the Diaoyu Islands early Wednesday morning despite interception from the Japan Coast Guard, a spokesman for the group said in Beijing.

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Seven Chinese activists landed on the Diaoyu Islands early Wednesday morning despite interception from the Japan Coast Guard, a spokesman for the group said in Beijing.

"Our people have landed on the isle. They are doing some scientific and environmental studies there," said Tong Zeng, chairman of the China Federation for Defending the Diaoyu Islands.

"We will of course resist if Japan tries to clear our people from the island. This is a territory of China," Tong said over the phone from Beijing.

The seven activists are among a group of 16 people, including a woman, who sailed off in a 100-ton ship from a port in China's coastal Zhejiang Province early Tuesday.

It was the fourth time Chinese activists set voyage for the islands in the East China Sea in the past nine months. But they failed to land on the islands in their last three attempts.

The uninhabited island is located in rich fishing waters between Taiwan Island and Japan's Okinawa islands.

Tong said Wednesday that the group was blocked by four Japanese vessels when their ship was close to the islands. Seven activists, however, succeeded in getting onshore with two small boats early in the morning, he said.

But the Japanese side had confiscated the two boats and is expected to take action against the activists on the island, Tong said.

In Beijing, about 10 to 15 protesters stood outside the Japanese Embassy, holding up the Chinese flag and red and white banners. One read: The Diaoyu Islands are China's Territory.

Source: agencies

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