BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday blasted Japan over its claims that a new collection of documents prove its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands.
"Although Japan tried its utmost in searching for supportive documents, which were taken out of context, it can never change the fact that China has sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing.
The Japanese government claimed on Tuesday that it had collected 500 documents showing Japan's rule over the islands before World War II (WWII).
Hua said numerous Chinese and foreign historical facts and materials can confirm that the Diaoyu Islands and their adjacent islets are China's inherent territories.
China discovered the Diaoyu Islands and has long-term effective administration over the area, according to Hua.
"We can find the Diaoyu Islands clearly marked in many maps dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties," Hua added.
Prior to the first Sino-Japanese War, maps by Western countries also described the Diaoyu Islands as belonging to China, she said.
Japan colonized Taiwan and its affiliated islands, including the Diaoyu Islands, after the Sino-Japanese war in 1894, and the Diaoyu Islands were given back to China following international legal instruments after WWII, Hua went on.
The 1969 map posted on the Japanese Foreign Ministry website recently only proves that the Diaoyu Islands are part of China, she said, adding, "We hope to remind Japan of the need for caution in releasing such documents, in order not to make any blunder."