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The Japanese government's announced "purchase" of China's Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated Nanxiao Dao and Beixiao Dao and their so-called "nationalization" is a serious violation of China's territorial sovereignty. The countermeasures taken by China have forcefully demonstrated China's position that sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao belongs to China as well as the legal evidences supporting China's position. They have effectively exposed the very nature of the farce Japan has staged, which is in essence a betrayal of the consensus and understanding reached with China, an outright denial of the outcomes of the World Anti-Fascist War and a challenge to the post-World War II international order.

China strongly urges Japan to face up to the current grave situation of China-Japan relations and recognize that there is dispute over the sovereignty of Diaoyu Dao. Japan should redress the erroneous act of violating China's sovereignty and come back to the track of resolving the Diaoyu Dao issue through negotiations. The Chinese government is firm and solid in its will to uphold China's territorial sovereignty. No one needs to have any illusion about or question China's determination. Diaoyu Dao belongs to China. China stands on the right side of the issue. China is on the side of justice.

The article is a translation of a People's Daily commentary published on Oct 12.

(China Daily 10/15/2012 page9)