US says stance unchanged on Diaoyu Islands

WASHINGTON - US State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Thursday that the US stance on the Diaoyu Islands is unchanged.

During her daily briefing, Psaki reiterated that the US policy on the Diaoyu Islands "is longstanding and has not changed. The United States does not take a position on the underlying question of the ultimate sovereignty" of the islands.

Psaki was responding to a question regarding comments made by US Senator John McCain on Wednesday.

According to a Kyodo report, McCain described the Diaoyu Islands as "Japanese territory" at a news conference in Tokyo. He said that nations feeling increasingly threatened by China's maritime presence "need to act in closer coordination with each other."

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei warned in a press release Thursday that "relevant US lawmakers" should avoid making regional situation more complicated.

It is futile for anyone to deny the fact that the Diaoyu Islands are Chinese territory, Hong said.

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