China reserves right to react to Japan city bill on disputed islands

China said on Monday it reserves the right to respond to a Japanese city's administrative bill over disputed islands between Beijing and Tokyo. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said during a briefing the Chinese government has complained to Tokyo about the bill regarding the disputed islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

Japanese broadcaster NHK reported earlier that the Ishigaki City assembly in Okinawa prefecture, in southern Japan, passed a bill to change the name of an administrative area covering the disputed islands to Tonoshiro Senkaku from Tonoshiro starting Oct. 1.