On October 31, 2017, Prof. Zhang Sheng from the Department of History in NKU gave a lecture on “United State’s Ryukyu Policy after the Second World War and the Formation of the Diaoyu Islands Issue” in Nankai University. Hosted by Prof. Jiang Pei, Dean of the Nankai University, about 20 students and scholars attended the meeting, including Prof. Zhao Xuegong and Associate Prof. He Jiangfeng from the Nankai University.
Prof. Zhang Sheng stressed the relationship between the Diaoyu Islands and Ryukyu Islands. Although both of them were closely linked, it was clear that the Diaoyu Island was not a part of Ryukyu Island in recorded history. He analyzed the formation of the Diaoyu Islands Issue through different three perspectives after the war: the differences between the US Army and the State Department, Japan’s anti-American policy, and multilateral game process under the contexts of cross-straits distributes. He also pointed out that the position of marine history should be reconsidered and scholars should focus on the Diaoyu Island issue’s great and profound influence on the East Asia and China’s history.
Prof. Jiang Pei spoke highly of Prof. Zhang Sheng’s speech. Prof. Zhang inspired everyone to rethink the Diaoyu Islands issues completely and objectively. His presentation also set a good example of probing into the historical causes and effects through the perspective of ocean history.
