China intends to double its offshore air patrols by 2015, according to a government report released on Wednesday

China's Ocean Development Report (2013), which was released by the China Institute for Marine Affairs under the State Oceanic Administration, emphasizes the importance of offshore air patrols to the country's maritime law enforcement.

According to the report, by 2015 the country's marine surveillance force will include fixed-wing aircraft with a range of more than 4,500 kilometers.