China Coast Guard Protects Marine Environment in South China Sea

China Coast Guard Holds Maritime Law Enforcement Briefing

The China Coast Guard (CCG) held a special maritime law enforcement briefing on Sunday, May 13, 2024, providing an overview of its 2024 efforts and introducing plans for 2025. The briefing addressed recent foreign media speculations about the South China Sea's ecological environment and highlighted the CCG's efforts to protect marine ecosystems.

CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun responded to a question from a Global Times reporter, emphasizing the CCG's commitment to protecting the marine ecological environment and building a "beautiful ocean." He outlined the CCG's efforts in 2024, including increased efforts to combat illegal fishing and poaching of endangered species in the South China Sea.

Liu highlighted the CCG's collaboration with other departments, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, to carry out special law enforcement actions under the "Blue Sea" initiative for marine ecological protection and resource development. He also mentioned the CCG's special law enforcement operations for the marine seasonal moratorium on fishing, cracking down on illegal fishing, illegal waste disposal, and hunting of precious and endangered wildlife.

Liu emphasized the CCG's increased efforts to protect marine resources and the ecological environment in 2024. This included coordinating the use of ships, aircraft, and personnel to establish a three-dimensional supervision model with land-based inspections, maritime patrols, and aerial monitoring. The CCG also enhanced remote sensing monitoring of important marine protected areas using satellite remote sensing and other information technologies.

Specifically in the South China Sea, the CCG intensified efforts to combat illegal fishing and poaching of endangered species. Over 500 vessels were detained for various violations, and over 1,700 instances of foreign fishing vessels engaged in illegal fishing were discovered and expelled. Additionally, 15 vessels were confiscated, and a foreign fishing vessel suspected of using electric fishing was intercepted. Another foreign fishing vessel was caught poaching coral, with over 1,200 live coral specimens and large quantities of Tridacna shells seized.

Looking ahead, the CCG plans to continue strengthening efforts to protect the marine ecological environment, enhance patrol enforcement in key areas, improve aerial inspections, and promote the application of satellite remote sensing to detect and deal with violations damaging marine resources and ecosystems. These efforts contribute to the construction of a "beautiful ocean.