On Saturday, while China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were conducting a routine patrol in the waters surrounding the Diaoyu Dao in accordance with the law, a Japanese civilian aircraft illegally entered China's airspace over Diaoyu Dao at 11:19 am and exited at 11:24 am. In response, the CCG promptly implemented necessary control measures and dispatched a shipborne helicopter to issue a warning and drive it away, CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun said in a statement.
"The Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islets are China's inherent territory. We urge the Japanese side to immediately cease all illegal activities," the spokesperson said. "The China Coast Guard will continue to conduct rights protection and law enforcement operations in the waters and airspace of Diaoyu Dao to firmly safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests."
On Saturday, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao lodged a solemn representation with Japan's Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Takehiro Funakoshi over the intrusion of a Japanese civilian aircraft into the airspace of China's Diaoyu Dao. Wu said the Japanese government had allowed a Japanese civilian aircraft to illegally enter the airspace of the Diaoyu Islands, constituting a severe violation of China's sovereignty, according to a release from the Chinese Embassy in Japan.
China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this action and has already taken necessary control measures in accordance with the law to warn and expel the aircraft. China urges the Japanese side to recognize the seriousness of the situation and take practical measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents. The Diaoyu Dao and their affiliated islands are China's inherent territory. If the Japanese side takes new provocative actions, China will undoubtedly take resolute countermeasures to steadfastly safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, the release stated.
