Eighteen Detained In Anti-Japan Protests In Southern China
By Ria Novosti
Eighteen people allegedly involved in violent acts during anti-Japan protests in China on Sunday have been detained in the country’s southern city of Guangzhou, China’s official news agency Xinhua quoted local police as saying on Wednesday.
The Guangzhou Public Security Bureau said the suspects were allegedly involved in the smashing of a Japanese-made car, shop windows and billboards, adding that most people behaved reasonably during the protests.
Police in the port of Qingdao in eastern China said Wednesday six people have been detained for alleged violent acts at anti-Japan protests last Saturday.
Anti-Japanese riots began late last week over Japan’s nationalization of the disputed Diaoyu Islands.
The Diaoyu (or Senkaku, in Japanese) Islands have long been a disputed territory between the two countries. Japan claims it has occupied the islands since 1895, while China maintains the islands were recognized as Chinese as early as 1783.
Taiwan and Beijing believe Japan is occupying the islands illegally, while Tokyo believes its rivals only became concerned over the issue in the 1970s following the discovery of valuable minerals there.
