HK demands safety of citizens landing on Diaoyu Islands
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E-mail Xinhua, August 16, 2012
Hong Kong's Chief Executive CY Leung said on Wednesday he is monitoring developments involving citizens who landed on the Diaoyu Islands, calling on the Japanese government to ensure their safety.
Leung echoed remarks made by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying that the city's Immigration Department officers will go to Tokyo to provide assistance to the citizens. He told media that the Hong Kong and central governments will continue monitoring the incident.
Leung reiterated the stance of the Chinese government and Hong Kong people that the Diaoyu Islands are Chinese territory.
Hong Kong-based Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands said on Wednesday afternoon that a fishing boat carrying the citizens had run aground on the Diaoyu Islands and several of them had landed ashore, in a bid to claim China's sovereignty on the islands.
The vessel, the Kai Fung Two, which left Hong Kong for the Diaoyu Islands days ago, began to sail toward the Diaoyu Islands on Wednesday afternoon, despite obstruction from Japanese guard ships.
A total of 14 Chinese nationals have been detained by the Japanese side, official sources said late Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, Fu Ying, China's vice foreign minister, summoned Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa and made a phone call to her Japanese counterpart Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi on the matter.
Fu reiterated China's sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and the affiliated islets, and demanded the Japanese side guarantee the safety of the Chinese citizens and free them immediately without any conditions.
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