US takes no position on Diaoyu sovereignty

The US has said again that it takes no position on the ultimate sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands. The remarks come after the Chinese Ambassador to the US warned other countries not to support Japan's claims or infringement moves.

Patrick Ventrell, US State Department Spokesman, said, "We don't a take position on the ultimate sovereignty of the islands. We call on all parties to manage their differences through peaceful means . That's our standing policy. It has not changed."

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made similar comments on Monday after meeting his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera in Washington. But Hagel referred to the islands by their Japanese name, Senkaku, and recognized they were under Japanese administration.

The next day, the Chinese Ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, issued a strong rebuttal. Cui said the facts are clear. He stressed that Japan is the one fueling the geopolitical storm over the Diaoyu Islands, and the islands are historically an integral part of China's territory.