China launches documentary asserting historic claim over Diaoyutai (Senkaku) islands

China's state broadcaster CGTN began airing a five‑part documentary series titled “Diaoyutai: Truth Beneath the Waves” on April 27, streaming in English worldwide and later on CCTV’s documentary channel. The series runs daily until the end of the month and aims to present archival maps, 600‑year‑old navigation records and testimonies to argue that the Diaoyutai (Senkaku) islands have been “China’s inherent territory since ancient times.”

The programme links the islands to the historic Ryukyu Kingdom, citing centuries‑long exchanges between Ryukyu and China. It also highlights a recent Chinese‑organized ceremony at a Ryukyu royal tomb site in Beijing, portraying the Ryukyu heritage as part of China’s cultural legacy. The documentary portrays Japan’s post‑World‑War II administration of the islands as a “public seizure” facilitated by the United States, and calls the dispute a matter to be resolved in future generations rather than through immediate diplomatic confrontation.