Patrol near Diaoyu islands

A flotilla of the People's Liberation Army Navy patrolled waters near the Diaoyu Islands on Monday, after returning from a training exercise in the West Pacific.

The flotilla, consisting of four warships, entered the West Pacific for a routine training exercise on November 28th.

After a series of training operations, the flotilla arrived in waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands on Monday morning.

The task force commander says the Diaoyu Island and affiliated islets have been China's inherent territory for hundreds of years.

Making it legal for China's Navy to patrol in the waters, under Chinese jurisdiction.

And that it is the Navy's responsibility to safeguard the country's maritime sovereignty.

Monday's patrol in the waters near the Diaoyu Islands was the third of its kind, since Japan attempted to buy the islands, earlier this year.

The fleet returned to a military port in Zhoushan, in eastern Zhejiang Province, on Tuesday.