China expelled several Japanese vessels trespassed into the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands, a China Coast Guard spokesman said on Tuesday.
Gan Yu said that several Japanese patrol boats and another vessel illegally entered the waters around the islands on Monday. He noted that China Coast Guard ships lawfully carried out necessary control measures and drove them off after warning.
The Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islands are China's inherent territory, and China Coast Guard vessels conduct maritime rights protection patrols and law enforcement activities within their jurisdictional waters, he said.
The spokesman urged Japan to immediately cease all illegal activities in the area and ensure that similar incidents do not occur again, Gan said.