China urges Japan to stop Diaoyu Island provocations: spokesman

A Chinese defense spokesman has urged Japan to stop complicating the situation in the Diaoyu Island with provocative actions in response to a Japanese civil aircraft's recent intrusions into China's territorial airspace in these waters.

Media reports show that Chinese maritime patrol vessels recently expelled a Japanese civil aircraft that illegally entered the airspace of China's Diaoyu Island with helicopters, which prompted the Japanese defense authorities to accuse Chinese helicopters of violating "Japanese airspace".

In a statement released on Sunday, Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said that the Japanese side's remarks are distorting facts and irresponsible.

The Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands are China's inherent territory and the illegal entry of Japanese civil aircraft into the airspace constitutes a serious violation of China's territorial sovereignty, he said.

"Chinese maritime patrol took necessary control measures to warn and expel, which is completely legitimate and justified," he stressed.

"We demand that Japan strictly control the activities of its citizens, stop complicating the situation in Diaoyu Island maritime and airspace with provocative actions, avoid introducing instability and insecurity factors or impacting the overall development of China-Japan relations," he said.

He added that China will continue to take effective measures to firmly defend its national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.