According to various Chinese media including Xinhua, yesterday morning a fleet of 30 fishing boats held a setting sail ceremony at Sanya, Hainan Province. Among them was a 3,000-ton master ship and 29 fishing boats with tonnage of more than 140 tons each. They will fish in Nansha area near Fiery Cross Reef for about 20 days. nansh is the name the Chinese give to the Spratly Islands.

It is the fishing expedition of the largest scale ever spontaneously organized in Hainan Province. Different from the separate fishing operation in the past, it is an organized combined fishing operation coordinated by fishing co-operatives and enterprises.

There is one commander-in-chief and three deputy commanders-in-chief in the fleet. The fleet is divided into two sub-fleets consisting of 6 groups. It has clearly determined manners of command and communications during the operation. Some fishermen told reporters that they had never been fishing so far away from Sanya.

The patrol and law-enforcement ships in Sansha sea area and other relevant departments have made satisfactory preparations for protecting the fleet and handling any emergency.

Meanwhile, Hainan Province is stepping up the establishment of a city consisting of Xisha, Nansha and Zhongsha Islands. It is now reviewing the bill on the establishment of the preparation team for Sansha City’s first people’s congress. The city, when established, will replace Sanya City as the southernmost prefecture-level city in Chinese territories.

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Categories: Politics & Law

Tags: Administration Office for Xisha Islands Zhongsha Islands and Nansha Islands, China, Hainan, Macclesfield Bank, Nansha, Paracel Islands, Sanya, South China Sea, Spratly Islands