Diaoyu protesters exploit diversion
A group of Taiwanese Diaoyu Islands activists was due to arrive off the coast of the disputed island group last night, apparently taking advantage of the vast media attention focused on the Hong Kong handover, media reports in Taiwan said.
Taiwan's Central News Agency said 15 protesters, led by Taipei County Council deputy Chin Chieh-shou, quietly left the northern fishing port of Shenao yesterday afternoon on the Hsin Hai Yang fishing boat.
However, there were no reports of their arrival by midnight last night and it was not clear if they had been intercepted by Japanese coastguards.
Mr Chin, a member of the right-wing opposition New Party, chose only to inform four electronic media organisations and two Taiwanese newspapers of the trip, the agency said.
The Diaoyus, northeast of Taiwan, are claimed by Taipei, Beijing and Tokyo.
The report said Mr Chin, who last attempted to land on the islands in May, chose to tell a limited number of media to prevent Japanese coastguard authorities from preparing a huge force to bar protesters from landing on the islands.
The boat was expected to arrive off the Diaoyu coastline at around 10.30 pm last night.
The agency report said Mr Chin may have been able to preserve the element of surprise in the Taiwan media, but added the Japanese coastguard radar would still probably be able to detect the vessel before it got close to the islands.
Mr Chin was among a select-few protesters to land on the islands in a joint Taiwan-Hong Kong flotilla last year.
