China lodges protest over Dutch helicopter intrusion

China has lodged solemn representations with the Netherlands over a Dutch shipborne helicopter's illegal intrusion into the airspace over China's Xisha Islands on Wednesday, a Chinese defense spokesman said on Thursday, urging the Dutch side to stop provocative actions.

Defense Ministry spokesman Jiang Bin made the remarks at a regular news conference in Beijing after People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command spokesperson Zhai Shichen issued a statement on Wednesday night. Zhai said the Dutch move had seriously undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea and was highly likely to trigger misunderstanding and miscalculation.

Jiang said a shipborne helicopter from the Dutch Navy frigate De Ruyter illegally intruded into the airspace over China's Xisha Islands, seriously violating China's sovereignty and harming China's security interests.

The Chinese military organized naval and air forces to take forceful measures to drive it away and lodged solemn representations with the Dutch side, he said.

The Xisha Islands are China's inherent territory, Jiang said, adding that the Chinese military remains on high alert at all times and will resolutely safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

"We urge the Dutch side to stop its infringing, risky and provocative actions, and strictly restrain the operations of its frontline naval and air forces to avoid unexpected incidents at sea or in the air," he said.