The Chinese embassy in Qatar has held a press briefing, reiterating China's firm stance on the Diaoyu Islands issue. The briefing comes after Japanese ambassador to Qatar said on Wednesday that Japan claims sovereignty over the islands.

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Zhiliang stressed that the Diaoyu Islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times and China has indisputable historical and legal basis for this. Zhang said China hopes the Qatari media and people understand China's solemn stance on this issue. He added that any unilateral action from the Japanese side is illegal and invalid.

Zhang warned that if the Japanese government and the country's right-wing activists continue violating China's sovereignty, regional peace and stability may be influenced, and China-Japan relations may be harmed.