China maritime agencies brought under one body

Deputy Public Security Minister Meng Hongwei will double up as head of the new China Coast Guard, designed to bring the nation's patchwork of maritime law enforcement agencies under a single roof amid ongoing territorial disputes with neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile, the reshuffle of provincial Communist Party positions continued yesterday, following the change of guard in the central government last week, with the former head of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, Guo Shuqing, being confirmed as Shandong province's deputy party secretary.

The new China Coast Guard, under the restructured State Oceanic Administration, will combine the operations of the marine surveillance fleet, the Public Security Ministry's coastguard patrols, the Agriculture Ministry's fisheries patrols and the General Administration of Customs' anti-smuggling efforts.

Liu Cigui, 57, the head of the State Oceanic Administration since 2011, will also serve as political commissar of the China Coast Guard. Meng was also appointed SOA's deputy director.

Shandong television reported that Guo had been appointed deputy party secretary, succeeding provincial governor Jiang Daming , who was appointed lands minister last week.

Guo is expected to be formally appointed Shandong's governor.