China told Japan Wednesday to treat its citizens who landed on
the Diaoyu Islands carefully and not take any action that would
jeopardize their safety.
According to Chinese
Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan, seven Chinese citizens
landed on the islands after a sea journey on early Wednesday, and
they were detained by the Japanese coastguard in the afternoon.
Kong said the Diaoyu Islands have been China's territory from
time immemorial, and the Chinese government has all along proposed
resolving the dispute through negotiations.
On Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minster Zhang Yesui and the Asian
affairs department of the foreign ministry summoned the charge
d'affaires ad interim of Japan to China and lodged solemn
representations.
(Xinhua News Agency March 25, 2004)