China has asked the United States to scale down and eventually cease its maritime surveillance and survey activities within China's claimed exclusive economic zone (EEZ), according to a report on the People's Liberation Army-sponsored chinamil.com website.

A statement attributed to the People's Republic of China (PRC) Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the request – which was issued on 26-27 August during bilateral talks on maritime safety – was intended to reduce the risk of "naval confrontations" between the two countries.

There were a number of incidents involving Chinese and US vessels in the South China Sea and Yellow Sea earlier in 2009 as the US exercised what it regards as its rights of passage under international maritime law.

In March, Beijing accused a US Military Sealift Command underwater surveillance ship, USNS Impeccable , of violating international laws by bottom-mapping in the South China Sea. Five Chinese vessels intervened and forced Impeccable to stop, according to the US Department of Defense. The incident took place around 75 miles off Hainan Island, where China - which claims a 125-mile EEZ - has built an underground nuclear submarine base.

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中国敦促美国逐步停止专属经济水域监视

        2009年9月3日  作者：Jon Rosamond

        中国已经要求美国减少并最终停止它在中国专属经济水域（EEZ）内的海上监视和调查活动，根据中国人民解放军主办的chinamil.com网站上的一个报道。

        一个来自中华人民共和国国防部（MoD）声明称这个请求－发表在8月26日-27日海上安全双边会晤期间－目的是减少这二个国家之间的“海上对抗”的风险。

        在2009年早期在南中国海和黄海包括中国和美国船只有许多敌对行动，由于美国认为在国际海商法之下它的通行权是正确的。

        在三月，中国指责一艘美国军事海运司令部水下监视船， “无瑕号”（USNS Impeccable），违反国际法－在南海水下-绘图。来自美国国防部的消息称五艘中国船干涉并强迫“无瑕号”停止。事件发生在海南岛外大约75海里处，在那里中国－主张125海里专属经济水域（EEZ）－已经建造一座地下核潜艇基地。