China has intensified its efforts to assert its claim over the disputed East China Sea islands known as the Diaoyu in China and the Senkaku in Japan, launching a five-part documentary series to present its narrative on the territory’s historical and legal status. The state broadcaster China Global Television Network (CGTN) released the first episode of "Diaoyu Dao: Small Islands, Big Stakes" on July 27, aiming to examine the islands’ history, relevant legal debates, and current geopolitical circumstances.
The documentary argues that China discovered, named, and utilized the islands prior to their cession to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895, which ended the first Sino-Japanese War. Beijing maintains that, according to the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation—key international agreements shaping the post-World War II order—Japan was obligated to return the islands to China. The series also criticizes what it describes as "legal loopholes" stemming from the US-Japan alliance and accuses Tokyo of abandoning a mutual understanding reached during the 1970s to set aside the territorial dispute amid efforts to normalize bilateral relations.
Japan rejects these claims, asserting that China never exercised sovereignty over the islands before 1895 and that the islands were not included in the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Tokyo points to the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty and the 1971 Okinawa Reversion Agreement as affirming its control over the islands. Japanese officials also dispute the relevance of historical maps cited by Beijing.
The islands, largely uninhabited but situated in waters believed to be rich in undersea oil, gas, and fishing resources, have long been a flashpoint between China and Japan. The rivalry intensified notably after the Japanese government purchased three of the islands in 2012 to prevent their acquisition by then-Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara. China described the move as a "unilateral change to the status quo" and a political provocation.
Tensions have escalated further in recent months. Japan reported Chinese vessels near the disputed islands for a record 356 consecutive days as of December 2025. The deterioration followed remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November speculating on a possible Taiwan contingency, as well as Japan and the Philippines initiating formal talks in May to delineate their maritime boundary in waters east of Taiwan.
On July 23, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs concluded a fisheries resource survey in the contested waters, amid reports that a Japanese coastguard tracked a Chinese research vessel during the mission. The same day, the China Coast Guard conducted what it termed a "rights-protection patrol" around the Diaoyu, while Japan accused four Chinese armed vessels of entering its territorial waters near the islands.
Analysts suggest that Beijing views the Japan-Philippines maritime boundary negotiations as a challenge to its position on Taiwan. Both Beijing and Taipei consider the Diaoyu/Senkaku archipelago part of Taiwan’s Yilan County. China claims Taiwan as a province to be reunified with the mainland, using force if necessary. While most countries, including Japan and the Philippines, do not formally recognize Taiwan as an independent state, the United States opposes any forcible attempts to alter Taiwan’s status and continues to provide arms to the island.