Japan tows Chinese boat to seas to mock collision
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Japanese authorities on Sunday morning towed the Chinese fishing boat to the sea near Ishigaki island in Okinawa Prefecture to recapture the situation when it collided with two patrol ships of Japanese Coast Guard off Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea on Tuesday.
All the 14 Chinese fishermen were on board, Xinhua has learned. They had been kept on boat off Ishigaki harbor. The staff of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo had called on them over the past five days.
No injuries were reported after the collision, but the fishing boat was then intercepted and seized by Japanese patrol ships.
Japan's Coast Guard arrested the Chinese captain of the fishing boat for alleged "obstructing public duties" early Wednesday despite China's protest.
Zhan Qixiong, the 41-year-old captain, was taken to a local police station on Ishigaki island after a local court granted on Friday a request by prosecutors for a 10-day detention through Sept. 19.
Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo urged Japan early Sunday morning to make a "wise political resolution" and immediately release the Chinese fishermen and fishing boat its coast guard seized earlier this week.
Dai made the remarks when he summoned the Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa in the wee hours.
Previously, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Friday summoned the Japanese ambassador and demanded Japan immediately and unconditionally release the boat and all the crew including the captain, saying China's determination to defend its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and the interests of the Chinese people was unswerving.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Friday night while announcing the postponement of bilateral talks with Japan that the Japanese side has "ignored China's repeated solemn representations and firm opposition, and obstinately decided to put the Chinese captain under the so-called judiciary procedures."
She said Japan's acts have violated the law of nations and basic international common sense, and are "ridiculous, illegal and invalid."
