China expels Philippine vessel at Huangyan Dao

BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Friday expelled the official Philippine vessel 3006 from China's territorial waters around Huangyan Dao in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, a CCG spokesperson said.

The Philippine vessel disregarded China's repeated dissuasion and warnings, insisting on approaching and intruding into Chinese territorial waters around Huangyan Dao, said spokesperson Liu Dejun.

The CCG employed gradually escalating measures, including verbal warnings, tracking, monitoring and expulsion actions, as well as water cannon warning shots, to expel the Philippine ship. All on-site actions were professional, standardized and legitimate, Liu noted.

The actions of the Philippine vessel seriously infringed on China's sovereignty and constituted a serious violation of international law and relevant provisions of Chinese law, Liu added, while stressing that frequent provocations and harassment by the Philippine side cannot alter the fact that Huangyan Dao belongs to China.

The CCG will take all necessary measures in accordance with the law to resolutely safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, the spokesperson noted. ■