China coastguard plans Wenzhou surveillance base as Beijing looks to bolster claims to disputed Diaoyu Islands
Coastguard eyes sites in Wenzhou for facility, as Beijing looks to bolster island claims
China's coastguard, which has repeatedly sent vessels into waters near the Japan-administered Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, plans to build a base in Wenzhou in Zhejiang province to enhance surveillance, sources close to the matter said yesterday.
As Wenzhou is close to the Diaoyus, known in Japan as the Senkaku Islands, the coastguard hopes to improve its maritime surveillance as Beijing strengthens its claim to the islands.
The move follows earlier revelations that China's military was building large bases on the Nanji Islands, also in Zhejiang province but located closer to the Diaoyus.
Earlier this month, the website of the Zhejiang government carried a post that described the content of a meeting between officials of the Wenzhou city government and the coastguard that included the latter's plan to build the base.
The base will cover about 500,000 square metres, with a pier about 1.2km long.
It will have the capacity to berth six or more vessels - including ones up to 10,000 tonnes - and will have a hanger for aircraft and helicopters, along with a large-scale training facility.