China's Ministry of Transport on Wednesday concluded a special maritime traffic law enforcement and surveying operation in the waters east of China's Taiwan island in response to Japan and the Philippines' maritime delimitation talks in the area.

According to the ministry, the operation, which ran from Saturday to Wednesday, was a necessary measure taken in response to the unilateral decision of Japan and the Philippines to launch the so-called maritime delimitation negotiations regarding waters east of China's Taiwan, which seriously infringes upon China's territorial sovereignty as well as maritime rights and interests.

The ministry organized the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration, Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration, the East China Sea navigation support center, and the East China Sea Rescue Bureau to carry out the operation, which included maritime patrol enforcement and hydrographic survey of key sea areas east of Taiwan island.

The operation aimed to exercise China's maritime administrative law enforcement jurisdiction, enhance long-range offshore patrol, law enforcement, and traffic control capabilities in key sea areas, and ensure maritime traffic safety while safeguarding national interests, the ministry said.

The 10,000-ton maritime patrol vessel Haixun 09, the large patrol and rescue vessel Haixun 06 in the Taiwan Strait, the specialized hydrographic survey vessel Haixun 08, and the specialized rescue vessel Donghai Jiu 113 jointly carried out the operation.

During the operation, authorities investigated and addressed various illegal and irregular maritime activities to maintain navigational order, inspected vessels' navigation aid equipment, and verified the identification code information of passing ships. Maritime law enforcement personnel also conducted patrols of key anchorages, offshore construction areas, high-risk vessel collision warning zones, and waters where submarine power and communication cables are being laid.

According to the ministry, the operation covered a total voyage of 1,030 nautical miles and 1,025 nautical miles of surveying. A total of 198 passing vessels were inspected, and three instances of illegal or irregular vessel operations were corrected.

The ministry stated that the operation strengthened China's capacity for maritime patrol enforcement and traffic control in the waters east of Taiwan island, and further improved maritime traffic safety assurance levels.