China has temporarily suspended fishing authorization for its commercial fishing vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Gulf due to the increasing tension in the Gulf region.
The prompt measure was announced in Beijing Tuesday by a Chinese panel on inter-ministerial oceanic fishery cooperation, composed of officials from the ministries of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, of Agriculture, of Foreign Affairs and of Communications.
The panel said, in the interest of safeguarding the lives and property of fishery firms and personnel, Chinese fishing vessels and other fishing-related cooperative schemes in the region are officially warned to withdraw from the two above sea areas, and those not yet in the region are definitely not authorized to enter the region.
The panel will maintain the suspension as long as necessary in accordance with the developments of the current situation.
(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2003)
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