China to ramp up marine pollution control efforts

Environmental monitoring and marine pollution control will be ramped up as China's revised Maritime Environment Protection Law is about to be implemented.

Liu Haitao, an official with the Standing Committee of National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, said on Saturday that the amended law has required the coast guard authorities and governments above county level in coastal regions to strengthen the comprehensive, coordinated and regular environmental monitoring of the ocean.

While calling for the country to intensify control over marine environment quality, the law, which will take effect on Jan 1, also states that the management of marine discharge permits must also be strengthened, he said. Liu works for the NPC Standing Committee's Legislative Affairs Commission.

A series of systems related to monitoring, such as those on information sharing, early warning, environmental assessment and emergency response, are ordered to be established and improved in line with the law, he said.

In addition, to prevent marine pollution, the law clarifies that the setting of sewage outlets into the sea should be optimized, with stronger supervision on sea sand mining, he added.

The NPC Standing Committee revised and passed the law in October, aiming to help the country enhance marine conservation, reduce marine waste and boost ocean governance more effectively.

Over the past few years, China's ocean observation and monitoring capabilities have improved, forming a comprehensive system that integrates ocean stations, radars, buoys, ships, unmanned aerial vehicles and satellites, according to a spokesperson of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The ministry will continue advancing the construction of the environmental early warning and monitoring systems in ocean, with release of relevant alerts and reports in a timely manner, so that the revised law can be truly carried out, the spokesperson added.