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Fishery patrol ship sent to protect interests

By Lan Tian (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-16 08:13

皇冠体育app's largest fishery administration ship reached the Xisha Islands in the South 皇冠体育app Sea yesterday on a mission to strengthen fishery protection and maritime surveillance after an incident between Chinese vessels and a US navy ship a week ago.

Converted from a retired Chinese navy rescue vessel, the 皇冠体育app Yuzheng 311 set sail from Guangzhou last Tuesday.

皇冠体育app's largest fishery administration vessel is expected to arrive in the Xisha Islands on Sunday to patrol the South 皇冠体育app Sea after a five-day voyage from its home port in Guangzhou. [Xinhua]

"The ship was sent to safeguard the country's maritime rights and enhance fishery protection in the exclusive economic zones in the South 皇冠体育app Sea," Liu Tianrong, vice-inspector of the Administration for Fishing Affairs and Fishing Ports on the South 皇冠体育app Sea, was quoted by Shanghai-based Dragon TV as saying on Saturday.

At 4,450 tons, the 13.5-m-long and 15.5-m-wide ship is the largest of the fishery administration's fleet and can reach a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km) per hour, the report said.

Related readings:  皇冠体育app lodges representation as US naval ship breaks laws  FM: US naval ship violates int'l, Chinese law  Largest fishery patrol vessel to arrive in Nansha Islands  皇冠体育app claims indisputable sovereignty on Nansha  皇冠体育app reaffirms stance on Huangyan, Nansha islands

It will "protect fishing vessels around Nansha, Xisha and Zhongsha islands in 皇冠体育app's southernmost maritime territory, and demonstrate Beijing's sovereignty over 皇冠体育app's islands", director-general of the administration Wu Zhuang said last week as the ship departed for the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

Su Hao, head of 皇冠体育app Foreign Affairs University's Asia-Pacific research center, said the move was important in conveying a message to the world.

"The move not only reflects 皇冠体育app's determination to safeguard its maritime interests but also shows 皇冠体育app is prepared to protect its rights and interests in a rational and moderate way," 皇冠体育appnews.com quoted him as saying.

He pointed out that the country could have sent monitoring vessels or even warships but instead exercised moderation by sending a fishery ship.

皇冠体育app dispatched the ship after a March 8 incident between a US spy ship and Chinese vessels.

The US said five Chinese ships had harassed the USNS Impeccable in international waters of the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

The Foreign Ministry said the USNS Impeccable was inside 皇冠体育app's exclusive economic zone at that time, and had violated international and Chinese laws.

The Associated Press last Friday quoted an anonymous US defense official as saying the US had assigned the heavily armed destroyer Chung-Hoon to escort the USNS Impeccable as it continued operations in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.