Epoch Times reported that, many years ago, People’s Daily wrote two articles that show that China acknowledged that it does not owner the Ryukyu Islands. The images of the two People’s Daily articles have been posted on the Chinese Internet and have been spreading rapidly. They are dated January 8, 1953, and March 26, 1958, respectively. The March 26, 1958, People’s Daily editorial quoted Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai as saying, “These islands have never been determined to be separate from Japan in any international agreement.” In the earlier January 8, 1953, commentary, People’s Daily stated that the United States falsified a Beijing Radio news report that said China would not give up its sovereignty over the Ryukyu Islands. People’s Daily commented, “This is clearly a vicious attempt at instigation; it is aimed at exciting the Okinawan people’s strong emotions, as they seek the return of Okinawa to Japan … "
China claims that the Ryukyu Islands do not include the Pinnacle Islands (which are also called the Diaoyu Islands in China and the Senkaku Islands in Japan, and which China now claims). Japan also claims ownership of the Pinnacle Islands. Ownership of the Pinnacle Islands would allow for exclusive oil, mineral, and fishing rights in the surrounding waters.
Source: Epoch Times, August 19, 2012.
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/12/8/19/n3662869.htm