China to brief India on territorial dispute with Japan: Envoy

Amid growing confrontation between China and Japan over a group of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea, Chinese government will be briefing the Indian government regarding its case.

China has also warned Japan of "serious consequences" following "purchase" of islands, which are called Diaoyu in Chinese and Senkaku in Japanese, and termed the "purchase" as "totally illegal and invalid".

Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang Yan said "the so-called 'purchase of Diaoyu Islands by the Japanese government is totally illegal and invalid. The Chinese government and people have expressed firm opposition to and strong indignation over this action."

He also informed a group of select journalists that his Embassy officials will be briefing India regarding Chinese position and its stand on the dispute.

Zhang said "Japan must immediately stop all actions that harm China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and return as quickly as possible to the common understanding reached by both sides and to the track of settling disputes through negotiations. Otherwise, Japan shall have to bear all serious consequences arising thereafter."

The Chinese Ambassador's remarks come in the backdrop of Beijing dispatching its patrol vessels to the disputed site as a "rights defense law enforcement action, to reflect the Chinese government’s jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands and safeguard China’s maritime rights and interests."

Meanwhile, the anti-Japan demonstrations in China over the dispute took an ugly turn with protesters attacking some of the top Japanese firms, including Panasonic and Canon, hitting flourishing bilateral trade.