BEIJING - China's armed forces are capable of safeguarding the country's maritime rights and interests, a spokesman with the Ministry of Defense said Thursday, referring to the Diaoyu Islands.

"It is undisputed that the Diaoyu Islands are an indispensable part of China's territory," spokesman Geng Yansheng said at a regular press conference, adding that any unilateral action taken by Japan cannot change this fact.

"In the meantime, China's armed forces are capable of safeguarding the country's territory as well as its maritime rights and interests," said Geng.

China and Japan are now involved in diplomatic disputes over Diaoyu Islands. In the latest development, China last week expressed strong displeasure at the Japanese leader's remark on Diaoyu Islands, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei saying that it "sabotages China's territorial sovereignty."

Hong's words came after Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on the same day said that Japan claimed Diaoyu Islands were part of its territory in the Meiji Era.

When answering a question concerning the beach head exercise conducted by the Nanjing Military Command Area, Geng Yansheng said that it is part of the annual arrangement to examine and improve the joint operation capabilities of ground troops, the navy and the air force under informationized circumstances.