By Li Hongmei

A fleet of Chinese boats prepared to fish and a naval patrol conducted drills near disputed islands in the South China Sea, CCTV reported Tuesday. The PLA East China Sea fleet entered Bashi Channel at 7 AM on Monday, it reported.

Bashi Channel is an international waterway linking the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It's also the main passage for strategic materials coming from the Middle East, Africa and southeast Asia to the US and Japan.

During its previous 7-day drills in the West Pacific, the fleet conducted reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance operations, as well as offensive and defensive combat and rescue operations. The drills were designed to test the fleet's capabilities of organization and command, and mobile warfare, according to the CCTV reports.

CCTV said 24 fishing boats also arrived Monday, after a 7-day voyage, in waters near the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea.

"Tonight we plan to have four fishing ships sent into the water for fishing. For tomorrow we plan (to send) two boats for fishing operations. Of the four boats, two will be deep sea fishing, and the other two will carry out mid-level water fishing," the fleet's supply ship captain Chen Rihai told CCTV on Monday.

More ships are due to join the fleet on Wednesday (May 15), CCTV said, bringing the total number to 32. The fleet plans to fish along the islands over a duration of 40 days.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the country would protect the legal rights of its fishermen.

（Editor:富博）