China says it forced out Philippine plane in South China Sea

China's military said on Tuesday that it warned off and expelled a Philippine government aircraft that it accused of illegally entering airspace over the Huangyan Island in the South China Sea.

Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesman for the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theater Command, said the Philippine aircraft entered the territorial airspace over Huangyan Island on Tuesday without approval from the Chinese government.

China's Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to monitor the aircraft and "warn and expel it in accordance with law and regulations," Tian said in a statement.

The Chinese military said the Philippine action "severely infringed upon China's sovereignty" and violated both Chinese law and relevant provisions of international law.

Tian reiterated Beijing's long-standing claim that Huangyan Island is China's "inherent territory" and warned Manila to immediately stop infringement, provocation and "irresponsible hype."