ABSTRACT
The Senkaku Islands, known to the Chinese as the Tiaoyu or Tiao Yu Tai Islands, are situated some 200 nml west of Okinawa and about 100 nml north-east of Taiwan. In 1874, China relinquished its claims to the Ryukyu Islands and they became part of the Japanese Empire. At the end of World War II, both islands were placed under US military control and in 1951 the San Francisco Peace Treaty included the Senkaku Islands with the Ryukyu group. During 1996, tension again increased. In August, China reiterated that the Senkaku Islands were an inseparable part of Chinese territory. This followed Japanese landings on the islands, not only in China but also in Taiwan and Hong Kong which were worried by what was perceived as a revival of Japanese militarism. The Senkaku Islands are strategically located at the southern end of the East China Sea but, more importantly, their value relates to fishing rights and potential petroleum exploitation.
