Sakhalin: China's position on the world stage has become increasingly prominent in the world stage, and it has made great progress in many fields such as military, science and technology, and economy. However, looking back at history, we have also experienced years of humiliation, seen by the great powers as objects of partition. Sakhalin is one of them. This island has a special geographical location and deep ties to China.
However, Sakhalin is still occupied by Russia, which raises the question: why has Sakhalin not returned to China's arms? This article will explore the historical origins and the reasons for the island contention. The historical origin of Sakhalin can be traced back to ancient times, and there is a record of Sakhalin in the ancient document "Classic of Mountains and Seas".
A group of hairy people live on the island, which is in line with the island's extremely cold climate. The ancient book was written from the Warring States to the early Han Dynasty, indicating that China was aware of the existence of Sakhalin Island at that time. Over time, Sakhalin became the place where the Tang Dynasty established its administration in the north and gradually embraced the Central Plains culture. During the Yuan Dynasty, Sakhalin became a military powerhouse for the Yuan government.
During the Ming Dynasty, Sakhalin provided solid logistical support for the Qing Dynasty to establish a base on the frontier. However, the Qing government was worried about internal and external troubles, and Tsarist Russia took the opportunity to move south and occupy Chinese territory. The Kangxi Emperor knew that internal turmoil would bring greater crises once he fought with Tsarist Russia, so he could only choose to endure. Russia built a fortress and garrisoned troops on Sakhalin in an attempt to expand further.
In the twenty-fourth year of the Kangxi Dynasty, the Qing government decided to launch an attack and successfully recovered Sakhalin. However, Tsarist Russia did not give up and sent troops to attack again, and the Kangxi Emperor was not afraid to fight to the death, and finally defeated Tsarist Russia. Defeated Tsarist Russia begged the Qing Dynasty for peace talks, signed the Treaty of Nebuchu, and Sakhalin was officially incorporated into Chinese territory.
However, with the rise of the Industrial Revolution, Western powers hoped to acquire resources through military expansion. The Qing government was closed to the outside world and unable to see the changes in the world, resulting in China's gradual backwardness. Tsarist Russia became the most active aggressor, demanding the administration of the Heilongjiang region in the name of "helping China defend Britain". The Qing government compromised, and Tsarist Russia invaded Sakhalin.
However, the treaty only divided the outer northeast region, and did not specify the ownership of Sakhalin. After Japan's victory over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, the territory was redivided and Sakhalin was transferred to Japan. With the end of World War II, Japan withdrew Sakhalin, which should be returned to China in accordance with the principle of abrogating unequal treaties. However, the USSR was strong, and Sakhalin was still occupied by it.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, China and the Soviet Union were friendly, and Sakhalin Island has never been recaptured. Now, China has enough capacity to reclaim Sakhalin, which is also in line with international values. However, China chose to acquiesce to the inhabitants of Sakhalin to continue living, demonstrating China's tolerance and fraternity. This decision kept the peace and tranquility of the island.
The issue of Sakhalin's ownership has not yet been resolved, and its inhabitants are no longer sons and daughters of China, but in theory, Sakhalin still belongs to China. I believe that with the passage of time, this historical legacy will eventually be properly resolved. But how do we think differently about this?
As a reader, what approach do you think China should take to resolve the issue of Sakhalin's ownership? Should the islands be resolutely recovered in order to protect national interests and resources? Or will it continue to acquiesce in the continued life of the inhabitants of Sakhalin, demonstrating Chinese tolerance and fraternity? We look forward to hearing from you.