Records show islands belong to China

The Diaoyu Islands, 222 kilometers northeast of China's Taiwan province, have been China's territory since ancient times. All records, whether contained in books and academic research or on old maps, have proved China's undeniable sovereignty over these islands.

1. The name Diaoyutai Island appeared in 1403 in the Chinese book Voyage with the Tail Wind.

2. A recently discovered book written during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) called Record of Ocean Nation again proved the islands have always been part of China. The islands have not been terra nullius ("land belonging to no one") at least since China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), which established a maritime defense zone that included the islets.