Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Russia-Japan disputed island has sent an unmistakable message to the Japanese government that Tokyo should abandon any unrealistic sovereignty claims over the territory, a Russian historian has said.
The visit also serves as a direct and forceful response to Japan's unfriendly policies toward Russia, according to Yuri Pikalov, a professor of history at Pacific National University in Russia.
"In August 1945, World War II in Asia ended with the defeat of Japanese militarism. The Soviet Union acquired sovereignty over the South Kuril Islands in accordance with international treaties," Pikalov said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).
"Therefore, Russian President Putin's inspection of his own country's territory is entirely lawful. At the same time, he has made it clear to the Japanese leadership that this is a response to Japan's unfriendly policies toward Russia, including its joining various alliance blocs and participating in sanctions against Russia," the historian added.
"President Putin has thus demonstrated that the South Kuril Islands are Russian islands and that Russia will not hand over a single one of them to Japan," Pikalov said, adding " Japan can give up its hopes and stop making sovereignty claims over these territories."
Putin paid his first-ever visit to the disputed Iturup Island (called Etorofu in Japan), one of the Southern Kuril Islands (known as the Northern Territories in Japan) on Aug 13. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi "strongly protested" the visit at a press conference on the same day.
Putin's island visit warns Japan to cease sovereignty claims: expert
Putin's island visit warns Japan to cease sovereignty claims: expert
The mayor of the quake-hit Colombian city of Cali has expressed gratitude for the disaster relief aid it has received from China as he says the city is now shifting its recovery efforts toward reconstruction as it looks to rebuild in the wake of last Monday's deadly quake.
The death toll from the devastating 7.5-magnitude earthquake which rocked northwest Colombia has now reached 312, with more than 4,600 people injured, the country's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said on Tuesday. While more than 350 people have been rescued from the rubble, hopes are fading for the 290 people still thought to be missing.
Amid the ongoing relief operation, China has dispatched a plane-load of essential supplies and pledged one million U.S. dollars emergency cash aid to support Colombia's relief and reconstruction efforts.
The Chinese government-chartered flight carrying the approximately 80 tonnes of emergency humanitarian supplies arrived in the capital Bogota on Tuesday. It includes 7,000 blankets, 1,900 tents, 15 emergency water purification vehicles, 200 solar lamps, 200 portable spray disinfectors, and 20 diesel generator sets, which are intended for temporary shelters, emergency water and power supplies, disinfection, and providing lighting in the impacted areas.
Alejandro Eder, mayor of the hard-hit city of Cali, extended his thanks to the Chinese government and people for its vital support during a difficult time.
"How this aid will be distributed will also be decided together with Colombia's national government. After all, Cali was affected, but so was a much broader region, including our department of Valle del Cauca, the neighboring department of Choco, and Colombia's Coffee Region," he said in an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Tuesday.
He said Cali is now transitioning from its immediate emergency response efforts towards a new phase focusing on rebuilding the disaster-hit city, as he sought to send out a message of hope for the future.
"We are now entering the reconstruction phase in Cali. But reconstruction cannot simply mean returning to the Cali we had 10 days ago. We need to build the Cali of the future, a resilient city, a forward-looking city, an inclusive city and a city for our young people. The experience of friendly countries such as China will certainly be very important and very welcome," said Eder.
Mayor of quake-hit Cali extends gratitude to China for disaster relief aid
