Chinese protesters vented anger against Japan Saturday when they took to the streets to assert China's claim to sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands.

More than 2,000 people began to gather in downtown Chengdu, capital of the southwestern Sichuan Province, at around 2 p.m., unfurling banners and shouting "Defend the Diaoyu Islands," "Fight Japan" and other slogans.

More people joined the protest and the procession marched through some of the city's main streets, with some protestors distributing Chinese national flags.

In Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, thousands of college students marched, holding flags, banners and shouting slogans such as "Diaoyudao is China's" and "Boycott Japanese goods."

The protestors sang the Chinese national anthem while marching peacefully.

In Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, college students thronged to a downtown square at about 2 p.m. and then marched through the city, shouting "Long live the motherland," "Return the Diaoyu Islands to China."

Some protestors said they learned about the protest on the Internet and gathered there voluntarily.

Police were stationed along the routes of the protests, but no clashes had took place.

China-Japan relations have been strained since a collision occurred between two Japanese Coast Guard patrol ships and a Chinese trawler on Sept. 7 in the East China Sea off the Diaoyu Islands, over which China claims sovereignty.

In Tokyo, right-wing groups had planned to mobilize 3,000 people to gather in front of the Chinese Ambassy to "clarify Japanese's attitude on the issue," according to a report on ifeng.com.