China has strengthened efforts to safeguard maritime defense security, with more than 14,000 criminal cases solved and over 20,000 coastal risk hazards mitigated last year, the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday.

The ministry underscored that the crackdown on maritime-related crimes is aimed at reinforcing coastal security defenses and ensuring the safety and stability of the coastline.

In collaboration with relevant departments, Chinese police have intensified efforts to combat irregularities related to maritime affairs, such as illegal fishing, smuggling and immigration. From May to October 2024, public security agencies, in cooperation with fishery and coast guard authorities, solved 474 criminal cases related to illegal fishing, seizing more than 1,700 metric tons of fish.

Additionally, police officers conducted extensive inspections in shipping enterprises and major maritime agencies, including those in ports, docks, coastlines and islands, leading to the identification and correction of over 6,100 potential risks and hazards last year, it added.