BEIJING, July 28 -- The activities of Chinese ships in waters off the Diaoyu Islands are completely legitimate and lawful, and the Japanese side has no right to make irresponsible remarks, said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference on Thursday.
The spokesperson made such response when being asked to comment on the reports saying that Chinese naval vessels recently sailed into the adjacent sea area of the Diaoyu Islands, and the Japanese Defense Minister said that China's move was a unilateral act of aggravating tensions, the Japanese side was seriously worried and concerned about this, and the Japanese Defense Ministry would maintain regular vigilance and surveillance. Also, according to another report, the Japan Coast Guard and Maritime Self-Defense Force recently conducted joint training in the waters east of Izu-Oshima, Tokyo, to deal with the "grey-zone situation" of Chinese warships' approaching the Diaoyu Islands.
The spokesperson reiterated that the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have always been an inherent part of China, and China's will to safeguard its national sovereignty is unwavering."We urge the Japanese side to stop all provocative actions, manage differences through dialogue and consultation, and avoid causing unexpected maritime accidents," said the spokesperson.
