The China coast guard expelled a Philippine vessel that illegally entered waters off Huangyan Island in the South China Sea on Thursday.

In a statement on Thursday, Gan Yu, a spokesperson for the China coast guard, reported that a vessel from the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources had illegally intruded into the adjacent waters of China's Huangyan Island, disregarding China's repeated warnings.

He added that the coast guard had lawfully implemented measures to control the vessel's route, forced it to leave, and handled the situation on-site with professional standards.

He stressed that China holds indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Island and its adjacent waters.

The Chinese coast guard consistently carries out law enforcement activities to safeguard rights within China's jurisdictional waters, resolutely upholding national sovereignty and maritime interests, he noted.