Q: It is reported that Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara said in a speech during his visit to the US that the Tokyo Municipal Government planned to buy a group of islets of the Diaoyu Islands from private owners. How does China comment?

A: The Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets have been China's inherent territory since ancient times and China has indisputable sovereignty over them. Any unilateral move taken by the Japanese side over the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets is illegal and invalid, which can not alter the fact that the islands belong to China.