Joint investigation to start on sunken oil ship

China, Iran, Panama and Hong Kong signed an agreement on Thursday to investigate the sinking of an oil tanker in the East China Sea, the Ministry of Transport said.

The agreement was based on global shipping regulations, safety investigations and standards from the International Maritime Organization.

Stakeholders will be invited to participate in and witness restoration of the ship's "black box", and contact will be enhanced with the International Maritime Organization to ensure an objective investigation, Zhi Guanglu, deputy director of the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center, part of the Ministry of Transport, said at an earlier news conference.