The China Coast Guard said on Monday evening that it had expelled several Japanese vessels it deemed to be illegally operating near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

According to a press release from China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu, four Japanese fishing boats and multiple patrol ships "successively intruded into China's territorial waters around the Diaoyu Islands" between Thursday and Monday.

The China Coast Guard deployed vessels and issued warnings, taking "necessary control measures" to force the Japanese vessels to leave the area.

China claims the Diaoyu Islands as an integral part of its territory. The uninhabited islands are a longstanding source of friction between the two nations.

Gan reiterated China's position, stating that the Diaoyu Islands and their surrounding islets "are inherent parts of Chinese territory." He stressed that the China Coast Guard's actions were "maritime rights protection and law enforcement activities within China's jurisdictional waters."

"We urge the Japanese side to immediately cease all illegal activities in the area and ensure that such incidents do not recur," he said.