Maritime drill tightens security ahead of APEC meeting

Based on the principle of "combat readiness, practicality and tangible results", the drill simulated diverse real-case scenarios to verify the execution of emergency response protocols for water-related incidents, the Guangdong authorities said.

It leveraged a three-dimensional operational system covering air, surface water and underwater domains, with complex maritime law-enforcement scenarios involving illegal immigration via unlicensed high-speed boats — known locally as dafei — or violent resistance to law enforcement, hostage-taking or suspects jumping overboard to evade arrest.

It adopted tactics using police helicopters, unmanned aerial reconaissance vehicles, surface blockades by law-enforcement vessels, underwater arrests by divers, water rescue using motorboats and boardings of vessels by assault team members.