At the regular press conference held by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 14, spokesperson Mao Ning stated that the delegation from Heilongjiang Province recently visited Nan-Sahalinsk, the capital of Russian Sakhalin Oblast, a friendly province or region of Heilongjiang. Friendly exchange activities were carried out with the local authorities. "I will not comment on the commercial activities conducted by private enterprises during the visit."
Sakhalin Oblast consists of Sakhalin Island (Kurile Islands) and the Kuril Islands. The territory of the Southern Kuril Islands (referred to as the "Northern Four Islands" by Japan) is one of the most central disputes between Russia and Japan. Russian President Putin visited the Southern Kuril Islands in August this year, drawing attention.
According to local media in Sakhalin Oblast, the government information department of the state issued a statement on October 13, stating that a Chinese business delegation visited Iturup Island in the South Kuril Islands (known as Oshiri in Japan) to assess the investment potential of the island and the possibility of cooperation with local entrepreneurs.
In response to this, the Japanese side became even more anxious. On the 14th, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshihiko Muto declared that the Chinese delegation's visit was "absolutely unacceptable," and also said that appropriate negotiations had been conducted with Russia and China.
When asked about the Japanese remarks, Mao Ning responded that China has always advocated that the achievements of the World Anti-Fascist War should be respected and maintained.
Kiska Islands
According to the Russian 'PRIME' economic news agency, this is the first time a Chinese business delegation has visited Iturope Island. However, according to Kyodo News, there have been instances in the past where individual Chinese companies have visited the area for inspections.
Russian media report that Heilongjiang Province and Sakhalin Oblast have had a long-standing friendly relationship. The Chinese delegation showed considerable interest in the cultivation of sea urchins and sea cucumbers during their visit.
A person in charge of a Chinese seafood company said, "This is my first visit to Itrup Island. I can say that I really like this place. The air here is very fresh, and the natural scenery is exceptionally beautiful."
According to him, "My company is involved in the fishery industry. Currently, we are importing Russian seafood such as sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and various fish species from Dongning City. I hope to establish cooperation with local enterprises and work together with our partners to build fish processing plants, so that we can continue to operate in this field."
In addition, the delegation also visited the land used for construction projects of local tourism infrastructure. The hospitality industry is considered one of the promising investment directions in the region.
This visit is part of Sakhalin Oblast’s efforts to promote international cooperation and attract investment. Governor Limerko said, “The Kuril Islands have unique natural scenery, as well as great potential for developing tourism and commerce. Our task is to improve the investment environment and create new opportunities for the Kuril Islands.”
The Russian government has implemented a tax incentive policy for the Kuril Islands with a maximum duration of 20 years, aiming to promote development. Putin previously stated that "this policy has led to the introduction of investment and the creation of jobs."
In August this year, Putin visited the South Kuril Islands for the first time in 26 years since he took charge of Russia. It was also his second visit to the Sakhalin region, following one in 2013. During his visit, he stopped by a local seafood processing factory.
Russian-Japanese relations have always been troubled by territorial disputes. The Kuriles were under Japanese control before World War II, and after World War II they were occupied by the Soviet Union. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia has taken over and maintains actual control over the Kuriles.
Previously, Russian leaders have visited the island several times. Medvedev visited the island four times, once as a president and three times as prime minister. The current Russian Prime Minister Medvedev also inspected the Kola Islands.
In response to Putin's visit to the island, Japan expressed strong protest. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that the four northern islands are Japan's "inherent territory," and said that Putin's actions are "absolutely unacceptable."
During his visit to South Sakhalin to observe the exercises, Putin emphasized that Japan still has territorial sovereignty claims over the South Kuril Islands. "The status of the South Kuril Islands has been confirmed in international documents after World War II, and this is a fait accompli formed after World War II."
China's stance on related issues also echoes Russia's position: China has always advocated that the achievements of the World Anti-Fascist War should be respected and maintained. China urges Japan to abide by the international legal documents such as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, which establish the international order after World War II.
This time, the Russian media's report of "the Chinese delegation visiting the South Kuril Islands" also put Japan in a vulnerable position.
According to a report by Japan's Kyodo News, the Japanese government has stated that it does not allow third countries to invest in the Northern Four Islands or enter the Northern Four Islands region through Russian procedures. It is expected that the Japanese government will express opposition to this visit.
Japanese right-wing media, *Kanren News*, interpreted that China's unusual presence indicates a closer alignment on the issue between China and Russia.
Due to the dispute over the sovereignty of the South Kuril Islands, Russia and Japan have not concluded a peace treaty since the end of World War II. Japan's condemnation and sanctions against Russia regarding the conflict with Ukraine have severely strained bilateral relations. Japan's accelerated "re-militarization" efforts have also raised concerns among the Russian side.
The columnist Chen Hongbin from Observer Network previously wrote that experts in Russia generally interpret Putin's visit to the island as an attempt by Putin to close the door to relations with Japan, and that he no longer has any expectations towards Japan. Since Japan follows the lead of the United States and Europe, there is no need for Russia to take Japan’s feelings into consideration anymore. They believe that Putin will conduct frequent inspections of the South Kuril Islands in the future.
"It is obvious, in the visible future, this territorial issue is completely impossible to make any progress." Chen Hongbin said.
