Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao on Tuesday summoned Japanese ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa and lodged solemn representations on Japan's interception of Chinese fishing boats.

Two Japanese patrol boats collided with a Chinese fishing boat in waters off the Diaoyu islands Tuesday. No injuries were reported from the collision, but then the fishing boat was intercepted by Japanese patrol boats.

Song urged Japanese patrol boats to stop their illegal interception against Chinese fishing boats.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu earlier Tuesday had expressed grave concern over the incident.

"The Diaoyu islands and its adjacent islets have been Chinese territory since ancient times," Jiang said at a regular press conference when asked to comment on the collision.

"We demand Japanese patrol boats refrain from so-called law enforcement activities in waters off the Diaoyu islands and refrain from actions that would threaten the security of Chinese fishing boats and their crew," said Jiang.

"We will closely follow the situation and reserve our right to take further actions," Jiang said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2010)