Beijing fires new salvo at Tokyo with documentary on disputed Diaoyu Islands

China Global Television Network (CGTN) has released a five-part documentary titled "Diaoyu Dao: Small Islands, Big Stakes" to present its historical narrative regarding the disputed East China Sea islands. The first part of the documentary, released on Monday, aims to explore the history, legal arguments, and current situation surrounding these uninhabited islets, which Japan administers as the Senkakus. According to the series, historical Chinese texts and maps indicate that China first discovered, named, and utilized the islands before they were transferred to Japan under the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki, following the first Sino-Japanese war. This documentary represents an escalation of Beijing's global messaging campaign concerning the territorial dispute.