The Chinese Ambassador to Malta H.E. Mr. Cai Jinbiao recently published an article entitled 'Diaoyu Dao: A Moment of Truth' on the Malta Independent. The full text of the article is as follows:

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malta. A series of celebration events have been held to mark this auspicious occasion. Exchanges at various levels, be it political, economic and cultural, received renewed boost auguring an ever-strengthening partnership and friendship.

Coincidentally this year also marks the 40th Anniversary of the normalization of relations between China and Japan. In a stark contrast, however, the atmosphere has gone completely sour between the two Asian neighbours. China and Japan had agreed to hold a 'Year of Friendly Exchanges' in which nearly 600 exchange programmes were planned. Now all these were shelved indefinitely, only after Japan's illegal purchase of the Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands. On September 10, 2012, the Japanese government announced the "purchase" of Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands and the implementation of the so-called "nationalization". This is a move that grossly violates China's territorial sovereignty and seriously tramples on historical facts and international jurisprudence. Thus it is no surprise that the Sino-Japanese relations have met a sudden chill.

Interestingly now the devil seems to be playing the saint and the perpetrator the victim. Japan is mounting an international campaign in public opinion about the issue, touting its falsified version of the Diaoyu Dao. Ms. Yuriko Koike, the former Japanese Minister for Defense and now a congresswoman, for example, claimed that 'history has a story to tell here' and contended that these islands have been turned into part of Japanese territory in 1895 and remained thus ever since. Unfortunately however, her history remains only a story, and an entirely false one. People acquainted with a reasonable amount of knowledge about the recent history of East Asia would not buy it.

Diaoyu Dao is China's inherent territory in all historical, geographical and legal terms over which China enjoys indisputable sovereignty. China's Ming and Qing dynasties had always exercised sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands. They were already marked on maps as Chinese territory as early as in the early Ming dynasty. The Chinese sovereignty was widely acknowledged and supported by numerous historical documents and maps over the centuries such as A New Map of China from the Latest Authorities published by the British authorities in 1811 and A Map of China's East Coast: Hong Kong to Gulf of Liao-Tung compiled by the British Navy in 1877. Until the end of 19th century the Japanese government never raised dissent on this issue and always acknowledged the Diaoyu Dao as Chinese territory, though secretively coveting and planning the occupation of it.

In the first Sino-Japanese War in 1895, Japan defeated the then toppling Qing Dynasty and forced the signing of the unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki, whereby it illegally seized 'the island of Formosa (Taiwan), together with all islands appertaining or belonging to the said island of Formosa', among which were the Diaoyu Dao islands. In 1900, Japan changed the name of Diaoyu Dao to 'Senkaku Islands'.

In 1943, with the World War II drawing to an end, the famous Cairo Declaration was released in Cairo, Egypt after discussions between the leaders of China, Britain and the United States. It was the master plan for rebuilding international order following the victory against Nazi Germany and Japan. It 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 will also be expelled from all other territories she has taken by violence and greed.'

Less than two years later the Potsdam Proclamation was released in 1945. It reaffirmed that 'The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out.' The Japanese government accepted the Potsdam Proclamation in the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, and pledged to faithfully fulfill its obligations as stipulated in the provisions of the Potsdam Proclamation.

All of these facts show that in accordance with the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, Diaoyu Dao, as affiliated islands of Taiwan, should be returned, together with Taiwan, to China.

In 1951 Japan signed the Treaty of San Francisco with the US and a number of other countries, which in effect put the Ryukyu Islands under American administration. It must be stressed that China was excluded from this treaty and islands handed over to the American administration in this treaty did not include Diaoyu Dao.

In 1971 Japan and the US signed the agreement concerning the Ryukyu Islands and the Daito Islands, known as the Okinawa Reversion Agreement. This treaty provided that powers of administration over the Ryukyu Islands and Diaoyu Dao would be "returned" to Japan.

The Chinese government has consistently opposed these agreements between Japan and the US that excluded China. Therefore, it should be no surprise that China never recognized them.

In 1972 China-Japan relations normalized. In 1978 China and Japan signed the treaty of peace and friendship. Chinese and Japanese leaders agreed on shelving the Diaoyu Dao issue and waiting for a future settlement. Without such understanding and consensus, progress of China-Japan relations in the four decades that followed would have been impossible.

However, recently Japan has broken that political consensus by taking a series of provocative steps. In total disregard of the established post World War II agreements, Japan implemented its plan of "purchasing" China's Diaoyu Dao. The so-called purchase of Diaoyu Dao by the Japanese government is illegal and invalid. It can in no way change the fact that Diaoyu Dao is the territory of China. It shows that up to now Japan still obstinately clings to a colonialist mindset. It reveals that Japan has failed to examine its conscience and remains disappointingly unrepentant about its history of military fascism. Moreover, it attempted to deny the outcomes of the war against fascism and challenge the post-war international order.

History shall not be reversed. We must not forget the untold sufferings incurred during World War II. China and Malta are both victims of fascism. We have shared memories and pains. It is the common responsibility of China and Malta and the entire international community to reaffirm the outcomes of the war against fascism and maintain the post-war international order.

After World War II, German and Japanese attitudes form a stark contrast. Unlike Germany, Japan has never seriously reflected on its military fascist past and made a serious apology. Instead, it tried to reverse the history. Such a remorseless attitude has made it difficult for Japan to earn the trust of its neighbours and the forgiveness of people around the world.

Now the situation over Diaoyu Dao issue is escalating. Japan is the only one to blame. Japan does not even admit the existence of a dispute over Diaoyu Dao. Such a position is an outright denial of the understanding and agreement reached between China and Japan.

It is imperative that Japan respects history and facts. It is vital that Japan reflect on its mistakes and comes to a clear understanding of the situation. It is critical that Japan displays the political courage to correct its wrongdoings, and respect China's territorial sovereignty.