Patrol ship on mission to protect fishermen
Source: Xinhua |
April 21, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S most advanced fishery patrol ship arrived in waters off the coast of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea yesterday, where Chinese fishermen were harassed last week by a Philippine Navy gunboat, drawing protests from Beijing.
The 2,580-ton Yuzheng-310 set sail from the southern port city of Guangzhou on Wednesday. Its mission is to protect China's territorial waters and ensure the safety of Chinese fishermen, a statement from the South China Sea Fishery Bureau said.
"In the period of time that follows, the ship will go on regular patrols, help Chinese fishermen in the area and look into other issues concerning fishing activity there," the statement said.
China's fishery authorities have sent ships on patrol and shoal-guarding missions in the South China Sea 16 times this year.
Patrols were beefed up to protect the country's maritime rights and interests, as Chinese fishing boats had been frequently harassed or seized by armed ships of neighboring countries, officials said.
Arrested, robbed
Dai Yudao, a local official from the fishing town of Tanmen in Hainan Province, said more than 700 of the town's fishermen had been arrested, robbed, assaulted or ordered to leave by the armed forces of neighboring countries while fishing in the South China Sea over the past 12 years.
"We are frequently harassed by foreign ships in waters near the disputed islands," Dai said. "Our lives are threatened. But we will not back down, because locals have been fishing in the South China Sea for generations."
In the most recent case, 12 Chinese fishing boats were harassed on April 10 by the Philippine Navy gunboat while taking refuge from bad weather in a lagoon near Huangyan Island.
Two Chinese Marine Surveillance ships conducting routine patrols in the area later came to the fishermen's rescue.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have released 21 Vietnamese fishermen and their two fishing boats after detaining them for over a month at the Xisha Islands near Vietnam over allegations of illegal fishing.
The fishermen were released after they gave a written guarantee not to infringe on China's maritime rights in its territorial waters, according to the fishery bureau.
The 2,580-ton Yuzheng-310 set sail from the southern port city of Guangzhou on Wednesday. Its mission is to protect China's territorial waters and ensure the safety of Chinese fishermen, a statement from the South China Sea Fishery Bureau said.
"In the period of time that follows, the ship will go on regular patrols, help Chinese fishermen in the area and look into other issues concerning fishing activity there," the statement said.
China's fishery authorities have sent ships on patrol and shoal-guarding missions in the South China Sea 16 times this year.
Patrols were beefed up to protect the country's maritime rights and interests, as Chinese fishing boats had been frequently harassed or seized by armed ships of neighboring countries, officials said.
Arrested, robbed
Dai Yudao, a local official from the fishing town of Tanmen in Hainan Province, said more than 700 of the town's fishermen had been arrested, robbed, assaulted or ordered to leave by the armed forces of neighboring countries while fishing in the South China Sea over the past 12 years.
"We are frequently harassed by foreign ships in waters near the disputed islands," Dai said. "Our lives are threatened. But we will not back down, because locals have been fishing in the South China Sea for generations."
In the most recent case, 12 Chinese fishing boats were harassed on April 10 by the Philippine Navy gunboat while taking refuge from bad weather in a lagoon near Huangyan Island.
Two Chinese Marine Surveillance ships conducting routine patrols in the area later came to the fishermen's rescue.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have released 21 Vietnamese fishermen and their two fishing boats after detaining them for over a month at the Xisha Islands near Vietnam over allegations of illegal fishing.
The fishermen were released after they gave a written guarantee not to infringe on China's maritime rights in its territorial waters, according to the fishery bureau.
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