7 Chinese activists return to HK

HONG KONG - Seven of the 14 Chinese activists illegally detained by Japanese police for landing on the Diaoyu Islands Wednesday arrived at Hong Kong by plane at around 7:50 pm local time Friday.

Stepping out of the plane landing at the Hong Kong international airport, the activists shouted slogans that "Diaoyu Islands are Chinese territories."

Carrying a national flag, the activists were warmly welcomed by Hong Kong people at the airport. They were also presented flowers.

Chan Miu Tak, chairman of the Hong Kong-based Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands, told the media the committee thanked the support of the central government and Hong Kong special administrative region government, hoping that more people could participate in defending the Diaoyu Islands.

The seven people include five activists and two journalists. Of the five activists, three are from Hong Kong, one from the Chinese mainland and one from Macao. Their plane took off from Naha airport in Okinawa in southwest Japan at around 6:40 p.m. local time Friday.

The other group of seven have also boarded a plane of Japan Coast Guard to fly to Ishigaki Island where their vessel was detained and will return later Friday by their boat, according to local media reports.  

The Japanese Cabinet announced Friday morning that it had decided to release all the 14 Chinese activists.

China's Foreign Ministry reiterated later Friday that China holds a "firm stance" that the Diaoyu Islands and adjacent islets have been an inalienable part of China's territory since ancient times, and any of Japan's unilateral moves against Chinese nationals is illegal and invalid.

The 14 Chinese activists, despite obstruction by Japan Coast Guard patrol ships, arrived at the Diaoyu Islands by a Hong Kong fishing vessel on Wednesday to assert China's territorial claim to the islands. They were arrested by Japanese police on suspicion of "illegal entry".