As early as the Ming Dynasty, China utilized Diaoyu Dao as part of its Maritime defense against Japanese pirates attacking the southeast coast. In 1561 (the 40th year of Emperor Jiajing’s reign of the Ming Dynasty), An Illustrated Compendium on Maritime Security (Chou Hai Tu Bian) compiled by Zheng Ruozeng under the auspices of Hu Zongxian, the supreme commander of the southeast maritime defense of the Ming court, included Diaoyu Dao on the “Map of Coastal Mountains and Islands” (Yan Hai Shan Sha Tu) and incorporated it into the maritime defense plans. “The Complete Map of Unified Maritime Territory for Coastal Defense” (Qian Kun Yi Tong Hai Fang Quan Tu), drawn up by Xu Bida and others in 1605 (the 33rd year of Emperor Wanli’s reign of the Ming Dynasty) and the “Map of Fujian's Coastal Mountains and Islands” in Treatise on Military Preparations: Coastal Defense II (Wu Bei Zhi• Hai Fang Er• Fu Jian Yan Hai Shan Sha Tu), drawn up by Mao Yuanyi in 1621 (the 1st year of Emperor Tianqi’s reign of the Ming Dynasty), also included Diaoyu Dao as part of China's territory.
Not only did the Qing court incorporate Diaoyu Dao and other relevant islands into the scope of China's Maritime defense as the Ming court did, but it also clearly placed the islands under the jurisdiction of the local government of Taiwan. Official documents of the Qing court, such as A Tour of Duty in the Taiwan Strait (Tai Hai Shi Cha Lu) and Annals of Taiwan Prefecture (Tai Wan Fu Zhi), all gave detailed accounts concerning China's administration of Diaoyu Dao. Volume 86 of Recompiled General Annals of Fujian (Chong Zuan Fu Jian Tong Zhi), compiled by Chen Shouqi and others in 1871 (the 10th year of Emperor Tongzhi’s reign of the Qing Dynasty), included Diaoyu Dao as a strategic location for Maritime defense and placed it under the jurisdiction of Gamalan, Taiwan (today’s Yilan County). There are also descriptions of Diaoyu Dao in A Complete Illustration of Taiwan (Quan Tai Tu Shuo) compiled by Zhou Maoqi in 1872.