The Chinese Government yesterday reiterated its "undisputable" sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands in East China Sea, saying that any attempt to encroach upon Chinese territory will be futile.

"The Diaoyu Islands and surrounding islets have been Chinese territory since ancient times. China has undisputable sovereignty over these islands," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a regular news briefing yesterday.

He made the remarks in response to reports that the Japanese coast guard stopped a boat carrying Chinese mainland and Hong Kong people from landing on the islands yesterday.

The 15 activists were planning to raise a Chinese national flag on the uninhabited islands. But as the boat approached one of the five islands it was surrounded by Japanese naval vessels and patrolling helicopters began raining down slips of paper telling them to leave, said Albert Ho, a Hong Kong lawmaker and vice-chairman of the Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands.

There were some minor collisions between the boats, but no one was injured, Ho said, adding that the demonstrators had intended to stay.

When challenged, the boat's crew responded by saying in Chinese and Japanese: "These are Chinese waters," according to the coast guard. The boat later moved out of what Japan calls "its waters".

Chinese mainland activist Tong Zeng said the 15 activists left for the Diaoyu Islands on Sunday.

Tong and 19 other activists sent a letter of protest to the Japanese Embassy in Beijing, denouncing the Japanese coast guard for blocking the landing attempt.

"This is an infringement of our sacred territory," read a copy of the letter. "We express our strongest anger and protest at this barbaric act by the Japanese Government."

Chinese anger was sparked in January when it came to light that Tokyo had been leasing three of the islands from a private landlord since 2002 to tighten Japan's control over the islands. China said the action was invalid.

Agencies contributed to the story

(HK Edition 06/24/2003 page1)

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