China sends ships to patrol East Vietnam Sea

A fleet of China's marine surveillance ships has departed from China's Sanya Port to carry out regular patrol missions in the South China Sea.

It's the second patrol mission following that of two ships which headed from Guangzhou on February 20th. The Hainan Maritime Safety Administration says the fleet consists of the Haixun 21, Haixun 31 and Haixun 166. They journeyed from South China's Hainan Province, and will voyage through waters of Sansha city, tour the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha Islands.