RULES FOR THE CONTROL OF NON-MILITARY VESSELS OF FOREIGN NATIO-NALITY PASSING THROUGH THE QIONGZHOU STRAIT
Important Notice: (注意事项)
英文本源自中华人民共和国务院法制局编译, 中国法制出版社出版的《中华人民
共和国涉外法规汇编》(1991年7月版).
当发生歧意时, 应以法律法规颁布单位发布的中文原文为准.
This English document is coming from the "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)
which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the China
Legal System Publishing House.
In case of discrepancy, the original version in Chinese shall prevail.
Whole Document (法规全文)
RULES FOR THE CONTROL OF NON-MILITARY VESSELS OF FOREIGN NATIO-
NALITY PASSING THROUGH THE QIONGZHOU STRAIT
(Promulgated by the State Council on June 8, 1964)
Article 1
According to the Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of
China concerning the Territorial Waters, the Qiongzhou Strait is an inland
sea of China, which is closed to all military vessels of foreign
nationality. Non-military vessels of foreign nationality to pass through
the Strait must be subject to an application for approval according to the
provisions of these Rules.
Article 2
The Qiongzhou Strait Administrative Office of the People's Republic of
China (hereinafter referred to as "the Qiongzhou Strait Administrative
Office") shall be set up to facilitate the administration of the Qiongzhou
Strait.
These Rules shall be implemented under the supervision of the Qiongzhou
Strait Administrative Office.
Article 3
The area under the administration of the Qiongzhou Strait Administrative
Office with respect to the Qiongzhou Strait (hereinafter referred to as
the administrative area) is tentatively delimited as follows: the water
area west of the line (the east line for short) linking the Mulantou Lamp
Stake (approximately north latitude 20x09'37", east longitude 110x41') and
the Shenggouhousha Lamp Stake (approximately north latitude 20x26', east
longitude 110x31'22") and east of the line (the west line for short)
linking the Jiaoweijiao Lamp Stake (approximately north latitude 20x13'30"
, east longitude 109x55'30") and the Lingaojiao Lamp Stake (approximately
north latitude 20x00'22", east longitude 109x42'06").
Article 4
Non-military vessels of foreign nationality that need to pass through the
Qiongzhou Strait must go through the following formalities:
(1) Report in detail by telegram such information as the ship's name,
nationality, gross tonnage, speed, hull colour, funnel marks, date and
time and port of departure, port of destination, etc. to the Qiongzhou
Strait Administrative Office and ask for permission to pass through the
Strait 48 hours before entering the administrative area or before leaving
the port of departure.
(2) Report accurately, after receiving the notice of approval for passing
through the Strait, the time of entering the administrative area to the
Qiongzhou Strait Administrative Office 24 hours before entering the
administrative area, or within 2 hours of weighing anchor at the port of
departure.
The above-mentioned telegrams concerning request and approval for passing
through the Strait shall all be conveyed through the Haikou Branch of the
China Ocean-shipping Agency Corporation.
Article 5
When deemed necessary, the Qiongzhou Strait Administrative Office may send
a summary notice to forbid a non-military vessel of foreign nationality
which has obtained the approval to pass through the Strait.
Article 6 [*1]
All non-military vessels of foreign nationality to pass through the
administrative area shall do so without exception within daytime. All of
them must enter the administrative area after sunrise and leave it before
sunset. The Qiongzhou Strait Administrative Office shall check and approve
the exact time for entering and leaving the Strait according to the speed
of the non-military vessels of foreign nationality which have applied to
pass through the Strait.
Article 7
Except those which have obtained special permission from the Qiongzhou
Strait Administrative Office, all non-military vessels of foreign
nationality entering and leaving the Qiongzhou Strait must use the middle
water course.
Article 8
Non-military vessels of foreign nationality passing through the
administrative area shall navigate in the following prescribed area: north
of the line linking the point on the east four nautical miles from the
Mulantou Lamp Stake and the point on the west four nautical miles from the
Lingaojiao Lamp Stake, and south of the line linking the point on the east
six nautical miles from the Mulantou Lamp Stake and the point four
nautical miles due south of the Paiweijiao Lamp Stake and then the point
on the west 14 nautical miles from the Lingaojiao Lamp Stake.
Article 9
Non-military vessels of foreign nationality to pass through the Qiongzhou
Strait must do so in strict accordance with the reported time and the
prescribed area. If they see any signals sent from ashore or naval vessels
while they are navigating into or within the administrative area, they
shall give an immediate reply and unconditionally carry out the
instructions conveyed by the signals. Any consequences arising from
failure to observe the above-mentioned stipulations shall be borne by the
vessels themselves.
Article 10
Non-military vessels of foreign nationality passing through the Qiongzhou
Strait shall not use radars. If it is necessary to use the radar in case
of dense fog, rainstorm, or other bad conditions affecting visibility, the
vessels shall report to the Qiongzhou Strait Administrative Office to
explain the necessity and report their positions, speeds and other
information. They may use the radar only after obtaining permission. In
case of an emergency endangering navigational safety of the vessels, they
may use the radar while making the reports; and after the emergency, the
vessels shall make a detailed report concerning the length of time for
using the radar and the whole course of the incident to the Qiongzhou
Strait Administrative Office for the record.
Article 11
Photographs, surveys or other activities violating the relevant laws and
regulations of the People's Republic of China are forbidden when non-
military vessels of foreign nationality pass through the Qiongzhou Strait.
Article 12
Where non-military vessels of foreign nationality violate these Rules, the
cases shall be dealt with as prescribed below:
(1) Those vessels that have not yet entered the administrative area may be
ordered not to enter but to go back by the original route and navigate
round the Hainan Island; or they may be ordered to go through the
necessary formalities for approval before passing through the Strait.
(2) Those vessels that have entered the administrative area may be ordered
to stop navigation and taken to the Haikou Harbour for inspection, the
result of which shall determine the penalty to be given. The Qiongzhou
Strait Administrative Office may then, depending on circumstances, allow
the vessels to pass through the administrative area, or order them to go
back, or even send them under escort out of the Strait.
Note:
[*1] On April 17, 1985, upon approval of the State Council and the Central
Military Commission, this Article was amended as follows: "Non-military
vessels of foreign nationality may pass through the Strait upon receiving
notice of approval, but their speed may not exceed 10 knots when they are
navigating into and within the administrative area." - The Editor.