Oil spill figures prompt government inspections of offshore drilling

BEIJING - A nationwide three-week program, starting on Saturday, will inspect and assess the safety of the country's offshore petroleum drilling and exploration operations, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Land and Resources on Monday.

The move comes after revelations that about 41 offshore oil spills occurred in China's waters from 2006 to 2010.

The large number of spills highlighted the urgent need to strengthen the country's offshore supervision and protect China's fragile marine environment, a senior official said.