China says activities at Huangyan Island are its legitimate right

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday that Huangyan Island is China's inherent territory and that China has indisputable sovereignty over the island and its adjacent waters.

Mao made the remarks in response to a question about satellite images showing that an unidentified structure at the island had disappeared.

China's activities at Huangyan Island, including scientific research, are the legitimate rights of a sovereign state, she said.