Medvedev's one and only visit makes strong statement
Medvedev's one and only visit makes strong statement - China.org.cn Russia President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Kunashiri Island, one of a group of Russian-held but Japanese-claimed islands off Hokkaido, has not only caused shock in Japan but also sparked concern in China who contrasted Japan's resignation on the Northern Territories issue against its toughness in its island dispute with China. Not surprisingly, the United States has officially voiced its support for Japan. graphic : Li Wei/China.org.cn The Northern Territories, or Kuril Islands, mainly refer to the four islands of Kunashiri, Etorofu, Habomai and Shikotan, which are located between Hokkaido and the Kamchatka peninsula of Russia. Maps and high school geography textbooks published in China display them as belonging to Japan but note them "occupied by Russia." In Maoist times, the Chinese government was firmly supportive of Japan's claims over the islands as part of the support for the ...