China has indisputable sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao, including Huangyan Dao, and their adjacent waters, and sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant waters, a Chinese defense ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the statement in response to a media inquiry about a Philippine Coast Guard reconnaissance aircraft carrying journalists that was reportedly warned off by Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy ships via radio communications during a recent patrol near Huangyan Dao.

China's law-enforcement and rights-protection operations in waters within our jurisdiction are fully justified, Jiang said, adding that, in response to recent rights-violation actions and provocations by the Philippine Coast Guard, the Chinese side took legitimate and lawful countermeasures that are professional and restrained.

Taking journalists aboard during its so-called patrol missions to film video and play up the "victim narrative" has become the not-so-surprising playbook for the Philippine side, Jiang said, adding that the so-called transparency and exposure campaign is not about uncovering the truth to the world but a self-directed farce.

"Let me make it clear to the Philippine side: edited footage and fabricated lies can never change China's sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao, including Huangyan Dao. They won't sway China's firm resolve in safeguarding our rights in accordance with the law. We will continue to take effective countermeasures in response to all rights-violation actions and provocations," Jiang said.