Summer Issue, 2013

1. The incorporation of the islands by Japan in 1985: China team: During the Meiji government, the islands belonged to China and that the survey conducted by the then Meiji government was incomplete. Japan team: The islands were inhabited based on the survey conducted by the then Meiji government. 2.The international law China team: The Treaty of San Francisco was not legitimate as it was signed without China’s presence. Japan team: As China is the member of the United Nations, it should have the full responsibility to oblige to the international law. As the international law values the “actual control” as one of the factors to determine the ownership of the islands, Japan has a stronger position on the dispute. 3. Historical and geographical China team: China discovered and named the islands “Diaoyu Dao ( 釣魚島 )”. Japan team: Natural boundary was never taken for granted by ancient people. The Chinese people who reached the islands and the native Ryukyuans themselves were not certain where the borderline of the islands was. Debate organised by China Study Society, HKUSU 過這個辯論比賽，我深刻感覺到香港作為一個具有特殊 地位的城市，在討論這些問題上具有天然的優勢。作為內 地學生，以前對釣魚島問題往往是單方面的民族主義片 面思考，現在諮詢透明之後，特別是站在日本的立場作 了研究之後，才認識到這個問題不是單純的『是非題』， 涉及的內容太多，越深入研究，越感覺自己無力找到答 案。希望兩國能夠互相增進理解，避免用民族主義作捆 綁而把事情簡單化、片面化，從人類普世價值出發，努 力尋找解決方案。」 當中有不少國際學生參與，一位來自英國的女學生說： 「我非常享受這次辯論，相信每個人從中都學到很多。」 陳子堯說：「在整次活動的籌辦過程中，我瞭解更多來自 日本同學的觀點和想法，體會到『換位思考』的重要性， 獲益良多！」 石川說：「我們的活動結束了，但這個話題沒有結束，相 反，它剛剛開始。為了實現日本和中國的相互理解，兩 國人民之間必須保持開放的對話。我希望回到日本後能 夠繼續舉辦這樣的活動。」 13