Chinese fleet returns after S China Sea patrols

A Chinese patrol team returned to Guangzhou on Tuesday after covering 2,455 nautical miles in the South China Sea to carry out regular observation and patrol operations.

The team, consisting of two China Marine Surveillance (CMS) ships -- Haijian 84 and Haijian 72, had patrolled the Xisha and Nansha Islands and their nearby waters for 16 days, according to the State Oceanic Administration (SOA).

The patrolling missions included the management of the islands and marine resources and ecology, according to the SOA.

"Haijian" is the Chinese equivalent of "marine surveillance."

The CMS ships are under the administration of the SOA. They have performed regular patrols and law-enforcement activities in waters under China's jurisdiction since 2006.