China's marine surveillance forces identified several US
military vessels that were caught carrying out geological and
topographical surveys in waters under Chinese jurisdiction last
year.
A recent report by the State Oceanic Administration on
operations in China's waters did not detail how many United States
military vessels were found, saying only that they were ordered to
cease operations.
Routine patrols by the China Marine Surveillance forces detected
2,436 illegal activities in China's territorial waters, up nearly
20 percent from the previous year.
Foreign vessels that surveyed or explored for oil and gas
without approval and those that disturbed China's normal oil and
gas exploration were monitored or expelled, according to the 2006
Circular on Maritime Administrative Law Enforcement.
The force, established in 1998, is responsible for administering
the country's coastal and territorial waters.
Its patrol aircraft made 172 flights, totaling 770 hours, while
its patrol vessels made 34 voyages covering 57,875 nautical miles
last year.
Nine vessels from six countries conducted scientific research or
maintained underwater cables in waters under China's jurisdiction
in 2006, it said.
It reported on 36,232 incidents at sea , up 85.8 percent from
the previous year. It levied 94.79 million yuan (about US$12
million) in fines, nearly double from 2005.
Almost 83 percent of the transgressions related to unauthorized
reclaiming of land, aquatic breeding, illegal fishing and
exploration. The remaining cases mainly involved defaults on
payments of various use fees.
The forces also reported 648 cases of damage to the marine
environment. Oceanic oil exploration projects in the Bohai Sea,
Beibu Gulf, East China Sea, the northern South China Sea and Yingge
Sea are strictly monitored to prevent oil spills.
(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2007)