A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Wednesday urged Japan to stop all provocative words and acts detrimental to China's sovereign rights.
The Diaoyu Islands [File photo] |
"We urge the Japanese side to face history and reality, stop all words and acts detrimental to China's sovereign rights and make efforts to properly resolve the Diaoyu Islands problem through dialogue," Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a press briefing.
According to media reports,?Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Wednesday visited two small islands and told officers with the Ishigaki Coast Guard Office that?he wanted "to decisively protect people's lives and property, our country's territorial lands, waters and airspace."
He also claimed that the Diaoyu Islands are "an inherent part of Japan's territory" and said Japan "will not recede" over the issue.
In response to Abe's remarks, Hua reiterated that "the Diaoyu Islands have been a fixed part of Chinese territory since ancient time" and "China possesses undisputable sovereign rights over the islands."
The Chinese government will continue to take all necessary measures in an effort to firmly safeguard the country's sovereign rights over the Diaoyu Islands, Hua added.