Q: On May 5, spokesperson of the US Defense Department said that Chinese fishing boats harassed the U.S. surveillance ship Victorious in the international waters of the Yellow Sea. How do you comment on that?

A: As for activities of foreign vessels in China's Exclusive Economic Zone, the Chinese Government has always handled these issues according to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Law on the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Continental Shelf of the People's Republic of China and Provisions of the People's Republic of China on the Administration of Foreign-related Maritime Scientific Research. What has happened is, Victorious entered Chinese Exclusive Economic Zone in the Yellow Sea without China's permission, which is a violation of relevant international law as well as Chinese laws and regulations. China is concerned about the situation and has already urged the US to take effective measures to avoid similar incidents from reoccuring.