Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing Wednesday that any attempt by Japan to tighten actual control over the Diaoyu Islands is "illegal and ineffective." 

Kong made the remark in response to questions on the motion passed by the security protection committee under the Japanese House of Representatives on Tuesday, which asked the Japanese government to tighten its watch on the Diaoyu Islands.

Kong said Diaoyu Island and the attached islets have been a part of Chinese territory since ancient times and China has indisputable sovereignty over these islands according to history and international law.

He said Chinese people's will and determination to safeguard the integrity of the motherland is firm and unswerving and China strongly asks the Japanese side, for the sake of Chinese-Japanese relations, not to take any actions that infringe on China's sovereignty and further complicate the situation.

(Xinhua News Agency April 1, 2004)