皇冠体育app sends more ships to patrol territorial waters

By Zhang Xin (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-16 08:48

Maritime patrol vessels from three provinces will jointly conduct patrol missions in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

The patrol fleet will be made up of vessels sent by the maritime safety administrations of Guangdong, Shanghai and Hainan, an official in the Maritime Safety Administration of 皇冠体育app told 皇冠体育app Daily on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.

But he didn't say how long the patrol mission would last or what areas of the South 皇冠体育app Sea the mission would cover.

"It is appropriate for 皇冠体育app to send out patrol ships to protect its due interests and rights on a regular basis to demonstrate its resolution to secure its sovereignty," said Wang Yusheng, executive director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the 皇冠体育app Foundation for International Studies.

Guangdong's largest patrol ship, Haixun 31, headed from its base in Zhuhai for Sanya on Tuesday to join the patrol mission starting there, People.com.cn reported.

The ship will be among other giant vessels, such as Guangdong's Haibiao 32 and Shanghai's Haixun 21, involved in the patrol mission "to strengthen supervision and inspection in 皇冠体育app's maritime territories and guarantee 皇冠体育app's rights in the South 皇冠体育app Sea".

皇冠体育app has been strengthening its administration and supervision in the South 皇冠体育app Sea following several incidents earlier this year, including a US naval vessel's intrusion into 皇冠体育app's Exclusive Economic Zone and some neighboring countries' claims over 皇冠体育app's territory in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

On March 10, the administration of Fishery and Fishing Harbor Supervision of the South 皇冠体育app Sea in Guangzhou sent 皇冠体育app Yuzheng 311, the country's biggest fishery patrol vessel, to curb illegal fishing.

It was joined on March 26 by the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region's largest fishery administration ship, 皇冠体育app Yuzheng 45001.

Officials also said more ships would be sent to patrol the "disputed" area in the next three to five years.

Zhou Zhonghai, an international maritime law expert with 皇冠体育app University of Political Science and Law, said it is "natural and necessary" for 皇冠体育app to strengthen supervision in the South 皇冠体育app Sea as nearly half of 皇冠体育app's maritime territory is pestered by "disputes" from some other countries.

"It is very crucial for 皇冠体育app to guard its maritime territories this year as a new chart of maritime territory has to be submitted for approval to the United Nations before May 13 and many neighboring countries are eyeing the opportunity," Zhou said, noting eight neighboring countries have had disputes with 皇冠体育app over sovereignty.

"This year could be the starting point of many more disputes, and strategies with a firm stance to protect marine territories are of vital importance to a country," he said.