China to increase maritime surveillance through UAVs, holds landing drills, deploys J-10B, Su-30s

Chinese test various UAVs yesterday

China has embarked on a plan to increase the use of UAVs to monitor its coasts and areas under dispute, including the Spratlys and the Diaoyutais 

As Beijing locks horns with a number of countries over the islands and waters of the East and South China Sea, China has launched a program to greatly increase its remote-sensing capabilities through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), reports said yesterday. 

The State Council last year approved a 10-year “national marine zoning” program to establish integrated, three dimensional, high-precision monitoring of China’s maritime areas. As part of China’s 12th five-year plan, which runs through to 2015, the State Oceanic Administration has been ordered to increase its remote-sensing capabilities through the acquisition and deployment of UAVs, pilot training and the construction of support infrastructure, Xinhua news agency reported. 

My article, published today in the Taipei Times, continues here.