A boat which carried a group of pro-China activists to disputed islands in the East China Sea last week, leading to their detention by Japan and anti-Tokyo protests, returned to Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Dozens of supporters cheered as the boat, carrying seven of the 14 activists detained by Japanese authorities after travelling to the islands known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan, docked at the city's ferry pier.

The seven activists chanted "we will fight to the end" as they disembarked, while their supporters, waving Chinese flags, handed them flowers.

"I feel good to be back home. We're proud of what we have achieved," the boat captain Yeung Hong told reporters.

The 14, including two journalists, were detained by Japanese authorities last Wednesday after five of the activists landed on one of the disputed islands, following a trip from Hong Kong.

The other seven activists had flown back to the southern Chinese city by plane on Friday.

The group said they had no plan for another similar trip anytime soon but added that they will hold an anti-Japan protest next month.