Japan is deploying medium-range missiles on Yonaguni in the Ryukyu Islands, just 110 km from China's #Taiwan. This move revives a forgotten name: Ryukyu. Once a thriving kingdom with its own culture and recognized by many countries, Ryukyu was gradually erased: annexed by Japan, manipulated after WWII and rebranded as "Okinawa." How does a kingdom disappear? The Undetermined Status Of Ryukyu uncovers the buried truth. | CGTN

The history of Okinawa—once the independent Ryukyu Kingdom (琉球)—is long, complex, and deeply intertwined with the regional dynamics of East Asia. Early Chinese historical records, including those from the Sui dynasty under Emperor Yang (隋煬帝, AD 604–618), describe the islands as inhabited communities that gradually entered China’s tributary system. For centuries, Ryukyu functioned as a tributary state to China, not Japan, maintaining stable diplomatic missions, cultural exchanges, and extensive m