Q: Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan delivered a policy speech today, claiming that the Diaoyu Islands are Japanese territory and Japan seriously handled the collision incident according to its domestic law. He also said that Japan and China are close neighbors of major importance to each other, thus the two sides should make joint efforts to further enhance strategic relationship of mutual benefit and safeguard peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific. Do you have any comment?

A: China would like to stress again that the Diaoyu Island and its adjacent islets have been China’s inherent territory since ancient times. Japan’s illegally detaining Chinese fishermen and fishing boat in waters off the Diaoyu Island and obstinately applying its so-called domestic judicial procedures is absurd, illegal and invalid. China and Japan are neighbors and China always values developing its relations with Japan. We hope Japan work together with China to safeguard the overall interest of bilateral relations.