A Chinese local government has quietly introduced a set of rules that require all foreign fishing vessels to seek approval from authorities to operate in the vast area that Beijing claims in the resource-rich South China Sea.

Analysts said the new rules rolled out by Hainan – the latest move to reinforce control of the intensely contested body of water – represented an escalation of Beijing’s jurisdictional claims, and could lead to more expulsions of foreign fishing vessels.

Chinese fishery laws have long stated that foreign vessels need permission to operate in Chinese-administered waters.

In Beijing yesterday, the foreign ministry said that the changes were the second amendment for Hainan since 1993 and were aimed at better protecting the country’s fishing resources.

Read more: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1401803/expulsions-likely-hainan-requires-permission-fish-south-china-sea