Diaoyu Dao: Small Islands, Big Stakes

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TODAY AT SEA

From Shelving the Dispute to Rising Tensions

Lighthouses, fishing boat incidents and Japan's 2012 "nationalization" move. A look at how a series of developments gradually transformed the Diaoyu Dao issue from a managed dispute into a recurring flashpoint.
31-Jul-2026

THE DOCUMENTARY

For more than a century, a small group of islands in the East China Sea has remained at the heart of competing historical narratives, legal debates and tensions between China and Japan. Drawing on rare archives, historical maps, firsthand accounts and on-the-ground reporting, CGTN's new documentary Diaoyu Dao: Small Islands, Big Stakes examines how history continues to shape the present – and why these islands matter far beyond their size. Premieres July 27 on CGTN.
China
23-Jul-2026
A small group of islands in the East China Sea has become one of the most enduring sources of tension between China and Japan. Through rare archives, historical maps, personal stories and on-the-ground reporting, CGTN's five-part documentary "Diaoyu Dao: Small Islands, Big Stakes" examines the history, legal debates and contemporary realities surrounding Diaoyu Dao, known in Japan as the Senkaku Islands.
China
27-Jul-2026
Who first discovered Diaoyu Dao? Centuries before the islands became the focus of today's dispute, Chinese navigators recorded the routes they sailed, the islands they passed and the waters they knew.
China
28-Jul-2026
How did Japan incorporate Diaoyu Dao into its territory? Through government archives, historical maps and records, Part Two examines the decade leading up to Japan's 1895 decision to incorporate the islands into Okinawa Prefecture.
China
29-Jul-2026
What happened to Diaoyu Dao after World War II? The Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation established key principles for the post-war settlement, including the return of territories taken by Japan during the war.
China
30-Jul-2026
Did China and Japan agree to shelve the dispute? During the normalization of diplomatic relations in the 1970s, the two sides reached a political understanding to set aside the Diaoyu Dao issue and focus on broader relations.
China
31-Jul-2026
Why do tensions continue in the waters around Diaoyu Dao? Part Five follows China Coast Guard patrols and maritime encounters in the East China Sea. It examines how the dispute has evolved since 2012 and the challenges of managing differences at sea.
China
01-Aug-2026

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