China expressed grave concerns over the Republic of Korean Coast Guard's firing warning shots toward Chinese fishing boats, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday.

China called on the ROK side to protect the legal interests of the Chinese fishermen and not to take dangerous measures that could harm the crew members in their law enforcement process, spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular news conference.

She made the comments while being asked to respond to a news report of Yonhap News Agency. The ROK Coast Guard fired around 200 gunshots to chase off dozens of Chinese fishing boats earlier this week, the report alleged.

China attaches great importance to fishery management and has taken measures to maintain order, she said, while calling on the ROK side to properly handle the issue.

She called on the ROK side to enhance communication with China and jointly maintain fishery production order.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn