BEIJING -- China will, as always, properly deal with illegal immigrants from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in accordance with Chinese law, international law and humanitarian principles, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Tuesday.

Qin said such DPRK immigrants were not refugees, but people who entered China because of "poor economic conditions", and their entrance was "illegal".

Such immigrants from the DPRK had been charged into foreign missions to China and international schools, violated Chinese law and disturbed public security, he said, noting the Chinese government would handle the situation through relevant laws and regulations.