Beijing vows more measures on Diaoyu Islands

Beijing vowed further measures to guard its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands as top diplomats met in New York.

Despite Tokyo’s repeated call for dialogue with Beijing, observers said Japan’s constant international lobbying to deny the existence of the territorial dispute shows it has little confidence in diplomacy or the ability to persuade others of its stance.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi agreed to a meeting following a request by his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba and they met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday night.

Vowing to uphold Beijing’s zero tolerance of Tokyo’s provocation over the islands, which have belonged to China for centuries, Yang said China will "continue to take firm measures" to safeguard territorial sovereignty.

Japan must "face reality and dispel any illusions", Yang said, and only by doing this and correcting its mistakes could China-Japan relations advance.

Leading Japanese media organizations said the hour-long meeting saw little progress.

Qu Xing, president of the China Institute of International Studies, said Japan’s illusion rests on attempts it is making to persuade China to accept the illegal "purchase" of the islands which Beijing has always rejected.

Also in New York, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda told reporters it is necessary to arrange "dialogue and communication at various levels", and it is critical to make sure "the channel for dialogue is not shut down".

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