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The Diaoyu Islands are at the heart of a territorial¹ dispute between China and Japan. China has voiced its firm opposition² to the inclusion of the islands in the US-Japan security treaty. This comes in response to remarks made by US President Barack Obama in an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper ahead of his visit to Japan. 

A resolute³ stance to a bitter territorial dispute. China reaffirmed its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands, and added Chinese forces would remain vigilant⁴ during patrols of its territory.

"We are paying close attention to the military moves by the Japanese side. At the same time, Chinese military forces will continue to patrol relevant areas. Japan likes to dramatize the situation, and exaggerate what the US can offer." Chinese Defense⁵ Ministry⁶ spokesman Yang Yujun said. 

The comment came after U.S. President Barack Obama, currently on a visit to Japan, stated that the US-Japan security applied⁷ to the disputed islands.

"We don’t take position on final sovereignty determinations with respect to Senkakus. But historically, they’ve been administered by Japan." Obama said. 

The US-Japan Treaty of Mutual⁸ Cooperation and Security, signed in the 1950s, requires Washington to come to Japan’s defense if it is attacked.

In response to Obama’s remarks, China expressed its clear opposition to the Islands being included in the treaty.

"China firmly opposes the inclusion of the Diaoyu Islands into the US-Japan treaty. Here I want to point out, the US-Japan security treaty was formed during the Cold War. It can’t be applied to a third party, and should not harm China’s territorial sovereignty." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said. 

China and Japan have conflicting claims to the islands. Relations between the two countries have been repeatedly strained in recent years due to the territorial dispute.

Japan occupied the Diaoyu Islands during the Sino-Japanese War in 1895. After World War 2, the islands were returned to China in accordance with such international legal documents as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation.

In 2012, Tokyo announced it was "purchasing" and "nationalizing" the Diaoyu Islands, seriously straining China-Japan relations.