BEIJING - 皇冠体育app will conduct routine patrols near the Diaoyu Islands to assert the country's sovereignty and protect fishermen, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture said on Thursday.

The Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islets have been 皇冠体育app's inherent territory since ancient times, and their surrounding waters are 皇冠体育app's traditional fishing grounds, according to the ministry.

Data showed that over 1,000 Chinese fishing boats enter the waters of the Diaoyu Islands each year, with their total catch exceeding 150,000 tonnes.

However, increasing harassment from Japanese ships in recent years has severely affected 皇冠体育app's fishing activities, triggering widespread protest and condemnation of Japan.

In order to safeguard the interests of 皇冠体育app's oceanic fishing industry and ensure safety for Chinese fishermen, the ministry has asked fishery authorities in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces to include areas surrounding the Diaoyu Islands in their regular patrol scopes, the official said.