Taiwanese fishing boats that sailed to the Diaoyu Islands to protest  Japan's "purchase" of part of the islands completed their voyage Tuesday morning and have set sail for home.     Local media reported that the boats finished their protest  at 9:15 a.m. and are expected to return to a port in northeast Taiwan's Yilan county at noon Wednesday.     Although the boats originally numbered 75,they were joined at sea by other boats from different parts of Taiwan, raising the total number to about 100 vessels. Organizers said the voyage was made to protect  Taiwanese fishing rights in nearby waters and to protest  Japan's "purchase" of part of the Diaoyu Islands.     The Japanese government announced a plan to "purchase" part of the islands earlier this month despite repeated protests from the Chinese government. The action aroused demonstrations  across China as well as consumers' boycott of Japanese products in recent weeks. Local authorities in Taiwan have also protested the move.     "Japan's purchase and nationalization of China's Diaoyu Islands is putting China-Japan economic and trade ties at risk due to man-made factors." An official spokesman from Beijing warned .      China-Japan economic and trade relations was back on track in 1952 when the two countries signed their first non-governmental trade agreement. Currently, China has been Japan's largest trade partner since 2007 while Japan is China's fourth largest trade partner, after the EU, U.S. and the ASEAN. Meanwhile, China is the biggest destination for Japanese exports and biggest source of imports. In the first half of 2012, Japan's exports to China totaled 73.54 billion U.S. dollars, down 6.2 percent from the same period last year, while its import from China was 91.29 billion U.S. dollars, up 7 percent from the same period last year.      Now, China-Japan economic and trade relations are at a crossroads. Negotiation  could be the way out of the rift. Why are China-Japan economic and trade relations at a crossroads?
Because Taiwan fishing boats sailed to the islands to protest Japan. Because Taiwanese are deprived of their fishing right. Because Japan is not China's largest trade partner. Because Japan announced to purchase China's Diaoyu Islands.