The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Wednesday expelled a Japanese vessel and several patrol ships that had illegally entered China's territorial waters near the Diaoyu Islands, according to a statement from the CCG.

The Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have always been part of China's territory, and Chinese Coast Guard vessels have been conducting maritime rights protection and law enforcement activities within China's legally recognized jurisdiction, CCG said in the statement.

“We urged the Japanese side to immediately cease all illegal activities within the waters of the Diaoyu Islands and ensure that similar incidents will not happen again,”the statement said.