The China Coast Guard said on Friday that it had expelled a Japanese fishing vessel that illegally entered the country's territorial waters around Chiwei Islet on Wednesday.

Liu Dejun, a spokesman for the CCG, said in a statement that the CCG vessels took necessary control measures, issued warnings and drove away the Japanese vessel in accordance with the law.

Chiwei Islet is an affiliated islet of China's Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

He emphasized that the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islands are inherent parts of Chinese territory, urging the Japanese side to immediately cease all illegal activities in these waters.

The China Coast Guard will continue to conduct rights protection and law enforcement activities within China's jurisdictional waters to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, Liu noted.