China vows to defend islands

China and its armed forces have the "confidence, capability" and unwavering determination to defend the Diaoyu Islands, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

A think-tank member visiting Beijing also warned that the frequent defense collaboration of the US-Japan alliance has strained the atmosphere of the Asia-Pacific region, and the weakened strategic mutual trust of the US-Japan-China trilateral ties is in "desperate need" of crisis management.

Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said at a monthly news conference that the Chinese military is closely watching Japan's moves. "We are against any words or deeds that would escalate or complicate the situation," he said.