Wang Yi, vice-minister of foreign affairs of China, summoned Japanese ambassador to China Koreshige Anami in Beijing Saturday and made a formal representation to Japan about the issue of Diaoyu Islands.

Wang Yi noted that the Diaoyu Islands and adjacent islets have been an integral part of Chinese territory since ancient times.

"Any unilateral action on the islands by the Japanese side is illegal and invalid, which China will not accept," Wang Yi said.

"The Chinese government and people have the unswerving determination to safeguard the country's territorial sovereignty," he added.

Wang demanded the Japanese side to correct its wrongdoings and stop any incidents harmful to China's territorial sovereignty and the China-Japan relationship.

After the Japanese government's action to "lease" the Diaoyu Islands was exposed, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stated China's solemn stance and officials of the Asian Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry lodged a representation to the Japanese Embassy in China, requiring the Japanese side to clarify the matter.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2002)