Some journalists asked that Japanese Government officials reportedly said the Koizumi Administration and the then Chinese leaders reached a secret agreement on the Diaoyu Island that Japan would not detain Chinese nationals who get on the Diaoyu Island and China promised to keep the boats of activists from the Island. Please confirm.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu points out that the so-called "secret agreement" does not exist. Relevant remarks are sheer slander out of malicious intention, which not only misleads the public opinion but also further damages China-Japan political mutual trust. Japan must bear all consequences in this regard. The Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times. The Chinese Government's position on safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity has always been clear and unswerving.