China Coast Guard said it had expelled multiple Japanese vessels that illegally entered the territorial waters off the Diaoyu Islands on Saturday.

In a statement released on Sunday, China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu said a Japanese fishing boat and several patrol vessels illegally entered the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands and coast guard vessels took necessary control measures and warned them to leave in accordance with the law.

The Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islands are an inherent part of China's territory, Gan said in the statement, adding that the coast guard vessels are carrying out activities of maritime rights protection and law enforcement in China's jurisdictional waters, which Japan has no right to interfere.

The spokesman urged Japan to immediately stop all illegal activities in the area and ensure that similar incidents do not happen again.