Deja Vu

Japanese authority arrested a Chinese fishing boat captain in Diayu Island, a land claimed by China on August 7, 2010. It is significant because Japan applied civil code to prosecute the captain, which is seen as claiming Japan's sovereignty on this disputed area for the first time.

There are many similarities between the Diaoyu Island incident and the 9/18 accident 69 years ago. Both were 'created' by lower level Japanese military officers, and both encountered little resistance from the Chinese part, and both leads to lasting catastrophic consequences.

Remember September 18th, 1931

Japanese army attacked the Northern Garrison (Beidaying) in Shenyang, the headquarter of then Northeastern Command of Chinese army on September 18th, 1931. The incident was remembered in Chinese history as 918 Incident. September 18th was recognized as the Day of Shame of China. Commander General Zhang Xueliang ordered the troops 'do not resist'. The order was to lock all weapons in the arsenal, and stay inside rooms. The Chinese soldiers were told that they would 'sacrifice for the nation's benefit'.

The 10 years from 1927 to 1937 was often referred as the 'Golden Decade' in Chinese history, while the economy was booming, and infrastructures were built. Leaders of China (Chiang Kai-shek, etc.) did not want the fast growing to be disturbed by anything, such as a war with Japan. One prevailing theory at the time was that once China became prosperous and strong, Japan would no longer dare to invade.

History proved them to be wrong. The invader would not wait for the day when China became strong enough to deter external challenges.

Remember September 18, 1931, and remember the 30 million Chinese killed by the Japanese invasion.