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China's largest fishery administration
vessel, China Yuzheng 311, arrives in the Xisha Islands March 17, 2009.
The vessel will patrol the South China Sea.(Xinhua Photo)
Photo
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HAIKOU, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's largest fishery
administration vessel began patrolling the South China Sea Tuesday afternoon.
"China Yuzheng 311" will patrol the Xisha Islands
such as Zhaoshu, Yongxing and the East Island to give Chinese fishermen in this
area more powerful protection for their interests and safety, said Liu Guimao
with the Administration of Fishery and Fishing Harbor Supervision for the South
China Sea.
"Despite hot weather of nearly 30 degrees Celsius,
the 311 crew was in good spirits and confident with their tasks," Liu told
Xinhua.
"China Yuzheng 311" made a week-long voyage to the
region from its home port in Guangzhou before arriving Tuesday noon. The vessel
stopped at a naval base in Sanya in the southern Hainan Province last Thursday
for supplies and set sail for the islands, which are about 180 nautical miles
southeast of Hainan.
However, the vessel encountered a storm which delayed
its arrival in the islands which was expected to be on Sunday, the vessel's
captain, who preferred not to be named, told Xinhua.
With 112.68 meters in length, 15 meters in width, and
a maximum displacement of 4,600 tonnes, the vessel is the largest of its kind in
China.
Equipped with the Global Maritime Distress Safety
System (GMDSS), an advanced communication system initiated by the International
Maritime Organization (IMO), "China Yuzheng 311" can sail non-stop for 8,000 sea
miles at a maximum speed of 22 knots. It was converted from a rescue vessel of
Chinese navy
Wu Zhuang, director of the Administration of Fishery
and Fishing Harbor Supervision for the South China Sea, said the vessel will
escort Chinese ships around the islands where "fishing illegalities by
neighboring countries are on the rise."
"China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands
of the South China Sea and their adjacent waters," Foreign Ministry spokesman
Qin Gang said Tuesday.
His comments came after he was asked to respond to
accusations of China "flexing military might" by sending ships to the South
China Sea.
"The vessel was heading there for a routine fishery
administration mission," said Qin.
China stresses fishery vessel on
"routine mission" in South China Sea
BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday denied it
was "flexing military might" by sending a fishery administration vessel to the
South China Sea, saying the ship was on a "routine mission" in Chinese
territorial waters.
"China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands of
the South China Sea and their adjacent waters," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin
Gang told a regular press briefing. Full story
Chinese fishery administration vessel
arrives in Xisha Islands
Yongxing Island, South China Sea, March 17 (Xinhua) --
China's largest fishery administration vessel arrived in the Xisha Islands
around noon, officials on the islands said on Tuesday.
The vessel, China Yuzheng 311, has anchored in Yongxing
island, a major one of the islands, and will patrol the South China Sea. It had
made a week-long voyage from its home port in Guangzhou. Full story
