Chinese drones are operating illegally in the South China Sea.

China deployed drones to accompany the coast guard vessel 2168, which illegally appeared in the waters of Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands.

Coast Guard vessel 2168 uses drones to operate in Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands - Photo: Sina.com.

China's Sina News reported on June 21 that the vessel used a drone to travel to the Paracel Islands (Vietnam) to "monitor ships that China considers to be fishing illegally." The coast guard vessel 2168 is under the jurisdiction of Hainan province.

This news site published a series of photos related to the activities of the 2168 maritime surveillance force and a drone bearing the inscription "maritime management and monitoring" operating together in a sea area belonging to the Hoang Sa archipelago, Vietnam.

The Maritime Surveillance Ship 2168 is a 1,000-ton vessel, 10.6m wide and 79.9m long. It travels at a speed of 37 km/h and can continuously sail at sea for over 9,200 km.

According to Chinese media, this drone is equipped with ultra-high-resolution cameras, capable of monitoring a very wide area at sea, and uses satellite transmission to send data back to the maritime surveillance vessel 2168.

In April 2015, the People's Daily reported that Beijing would use more drones, seaplanes, and surface vessels to increase patrols in the South China Sea. This move was deemed illegal and met with strong reactions from surrounding countries.

Around the same time, the patrol vessels 21 and 1103 of the Hainan Maritime Affairs Bureau, along with seaplanes, were deployed to the Paracel Islands to carry out "illegal patrols."

Previously, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had repeatedly stated that Vietnam demanded China immediately cease construction and the deployment of ships to the Spratly and Paracel Islands.

Coast Guard vessel 2168 uses drones to operate in Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands - Photo: Sina.com.

Drones operating in Vietnam's Paracel Islands - Photo: Sina.com.

Coast Guard vessel 2168 operating in Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands - Photo: Sina.com.

(According to TTO)