China mulls new sea patrols around Spratlys

China may step up patrols of disputed waters in the South China Sea to protect its interests in a range of areas following a recent confrontation with a US naval ship, state press said Thursday.

China last week dispatched its biggest and most modern fisheries patrol vessel, a converted naval ship, to the South China Sea after a near collision between Chinese vessels and a US naval surveillance ship earlier this month.

"Faced with a growing amount of illegal fishing and other countries' unfounded territorial claims... it has become necessary to step up the fishery administration's patrols to protect China's rights and interests," the China Daily quoted an official as saying.

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