Chinese mark Japanese invasion with protests while sirens wail
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Hundreds of Chinese gathered outside Japanese diplomatic residences across the country on Saturday to protest Japan's seizure of a Chinese fishing boat earlier this month as sirens wailed to mark the 79th anniversary of Japan's invasion.
In Beijing, dozens of protestors gathered outside the Japanese embassy, unfurling banners and shouting "Japan, get out of the Diaoyu Islands," "Boycott Japanese goods," "Don't forget national humiliation, don't forget Sept. 18" and other slogans.
During the protest, a man held a cake -- the icing of which formed the image of the Diaoyu Islands, China's national flag and the message "Japan, get out of the Diaoyu Islands."
"As a cake maker, I make such a cake to express my patriotism," said the protester surnamed Wu.
"I think every Chinese in every industry should take action," he said.
Ten days before the sensitive anniversary, a Chinese fishing boat was seized by the Japanese Coast Guard in waters off the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, which China claims sovereignty over. A Japanese court later detained the captain of the trawler.
The incident has since triggered Chinese indignation and protests. Though Japan has released the boat and other crew members under mounting pressure from China, the captain is still being held.
In front of the Japanese consulate general in Shanghai, protesters unfurled a banner reading "The Diaoyu Islands is China's. The detention of the boat is illegal. Give the captain back to us." They also shouted slogans like "Give the Diaoyu Islands back to us" and "Chinese people must awake."
Similar protests were also staged outside the Japanese consulate general in Shenyang.
Also Saturday, almost 100 people marched through downtown Shenzhen, protesting Japan's detention of the Chinese boat captain and singing the Chinese national anthem.
Police officers were deployed to maintain order in different cities. No violence has been reported during the protests.
As part of routine commemorative activities, sirens wailed in many cities Saturday morning, including Harbin, Xi'an, Changchun and Chengdu.
The municipal government of Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province and also where the Japanese army started its assault, said the city will sound sirens Saturday evening to commemorate the dark day.
Officials said sirens will began to wail at 9:18 p.m. and will last three minutes.
TV and radio programs will be paused during the three minutes. Drivers on nine main roads and 18 main streets, which symbolize Sept. 18, will stop their vehicles and sound their horns, said the officials.
It will be the 16th year for Shenyang to hold such commemorative activities on Sept. 18 since 1995 to remind people of the national humiliation.
"An outstanding nation must be a nation that respects history," said Wang Jinsi, a member with the Chinese Society for Anti-Japanese War History.
"To remember history is not to remember hatred, but to prevent the tragedy from recurring," he said.
On Sept. 18, 1931, Japanese forces attacked the barracks of Chinese troops in Shenyang. The move marked the beginning of the Japanese invasion and occupation that lasted 14 years.
