Q: It is reported that the Ishigaki City Assembly in Okinawa Prefecture of Japan adopted a regulation on December 17 to mark January 14 as the "Pioneering Day of the Senkaku Island", known as the Diaoyu Island in China. How do you comment?

A: On January 14, 1895, Japan stealthily occupied the Chinese territory of the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands. The so-called 'pioneering' of this nature is absolutely nothing close to a graceful action.

I'd like to stress that China owns indisputable sovereignty over the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands which have been China's inherent territory since ancient times. Any scheme to infringe upon China's territorial sovereignty over the Diaoyu Island is futile and invalid.