GUANGZHOU - Thousands of people in South China's metropolis of Guangzhou took to the streets on Sunday, in the latest wave of protests against Japanese police's landing on the Diaoyu Islands.

Demonstrators gathered at a square in Huadu district, some 20 km north of downtown Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, at about 9:30 am.

They then marched along a main road, waving national flags and banners that read: "Never forget national humiliation, rejuvenate China!" and "Reject Japanese goods".

The demonstrators were joined by passers-by, and witnesses said upto 3,000 people were involved.

No violent acts or clashes with police were reported during the protest, and most of the demonstrators dispersed by 3 pm.

Some Japanese police landed on the Diaoyu Islands Friday evening saying they were preventing Taiwan's activists from landing on the islands.

"It is a severe infringement upon China's territorial sovereignty," China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in a statement late Saturday.

Hong said China will continue to take measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands.