China says US naval vessel violated laws

China said Wednesday a US naval vessel involved in an incident with Chinese fishing boats in the Yellow Sea had violated maritime law, and urged the United States to take steps to avoid a repetition.

The incident followed two tense standoffs between US and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea in March.

"The US surveillance vessel USNS Victorious violated relevant international laws and Chinese laws and regulations by entering into China's exclusive economic zone in the Yellow Sea without China's approval," the Chinese foreign ministry said.

"The Chinese side expresses its concern and has demanded that the US side take measures to avoid similar events from happening again," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The comments came a day after the Pentagon accused Chinese fishing boats of engaging in "dangerous" maneuvers Friday near the US Navy ship in what it said were international waters off the mainland.

The Chinese foreign ministry said that it manages the movement of ships inside its exclusive economic zone in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as its own regulations.

A nation's exclusive economic zone stretches 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres) into the sea from its coastline and is an area in which it enjoys special rights to explore marine resources.