PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE LAYING OF SUBMARINE CABLES AND PIPELINES
PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE LAYING OF SUBMARINE CABLES AND PIPELINES
Important Notice:
This English document is coming from the "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)
which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the China
Legal System Publishing House.
In case of discrepancy, the original version in Chinese shall prevail.
Whole Document
PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE LAYING OF SUBMARINE CABLES AND PIPELINES
(Adopted by the 32nd Executive Meeting of the State Council on
January 20, 1989, promulgated by Decree No. 27 of the State Council of the
People's Republic of China on February 11, 1989, and effective as of March
1, 1989)
Article 1
These Provisions are formulated in order to safeguard the sovereignty and
the rights and interests of the People's Republic of China, to carry out
rational exploitation of seas and oceans, and to lay in an orderly way and
protect submarine cables and pipelines.
Article 2
These Provisions shall apply to the laying of submarine cables and
pipelines in such areas as inland seas, territorial seas and continental
shelves under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China, and also
to the investigations and survey of routes and other relevant activities
conducted for the aforesaid engineering projects.
Article 3
The competent authorities for the administration of the laying of
submarine cables and pipelines in such areas as the said inland seas,
territorial seas and continental shelves, and also for the investigations
and survey of routes and other relevant activities for the aforesaid
engineering projects, shall be the State Oceanographic Bureau of the
People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as "the competent
authorities").
Article 4
When China's enterprises or institutions plan to lay submarine cables and
pipelines, they shall file an application with their superior authorities
for examination and approval before they conduct investigations and survey
of routes and other relevant activities for the aforesaid engineering
projects in accordance with these Provisions. When foreign companies,
enterprises and other foreign economic organizations or individuals have
the necessity to lay submarine cables and pipelines, and also to conduct
investigations and survey of routes and other relevant activities for the
aforesaid engineering projects in the inland seas and territorial seas of
the People's Republic of China, they shall, in accordance with these
Provisions, apply to the competent authorities for approval; if they have
the necessity to carry out the said activities on the continental shelves
of the People's Republic of China, they shall notify the competent
authorities in advance, but the routes they have selected and decided on
for laying the cables and pipelines must have the consent of the competent
authorities.
Article 5
The owners of the submarine cables and pipelines (hereinafter referred to
as "the owners") shall file a written application with the competent
authorities 60 days before they start the investigations and survey of
routes for laying the submarine cables and pipelines. The written
application shall contain the following:
(1) the name, nationality, and residence of the owner;
(2) the name, nationality, and residence as well as the chief person-in-
charge of the unit which will conduct the investigations and survey of the
routes for laying the submarine cables and pipelines;
(3) the precise geographical areas in which the investigations and survey
are to be conducted for laying the submarine cables and pipelines;
(4) the time, the items, methods and equipment - including the ship to be
used: its name, nationality, tonnage, and major pieces of equipment and
their functions - for conducting the investigations and survey of routes
for laying the submarine cables and pipelines.
The competent authorities shall make a reply within 30 days as of the date
of receipt of the application.
Article 6
After the investigations and survey for laying the submarine cables and
pipelines have been completed, the owners shall submit a report,
delineating the final decision on the routes for laying the submarine
cables and pipelines 60 days before the laying project is started, to the
competent authorities for examination and approval, and the report shall
be submitted together with the following data:
(1) the purposes of laying the submarine cables and pipelines, the
materials to be used and their properties;
(2) the precious route chart and position chart of the submarine cables
and pipelines, their starting point and terminal point, their relay points
(stations) and their total length;
(3) the construction contractor, time and plan for construction, and
technical equipment;
(4) a report on the repercussions of the cable-and pipeline-laying
engineering project on marine resources and environment;
(5) other explanatory data.
The competent authorities shall make a reply within 30 days as of the date
of receipt of the application.
Article 7
After the completion of the engineering project, the owners shall submit
all the explanatory data, such as the route chart and position chart of
the submarine cables and pipelines, to the competent authorities for the
record, and send duplicates to the harbour superintendence organs.
When the State needs the relevant technical data for the exploitation of
marine resources or for carrying out administration, the owners have the
obligations to provide the competent authorities with further precise data
concerning the submarine cables and pipelines.
Article 8
The operations of laying submarine cables and pipelines and the
investigations and surveying activities for the cable-and pipeline-laying
engineering project shall not conducted beyond the approved sea areas; nor
shall operations and activities other than these approved be conducted in
the approved sea areas.
Article 9
In the event that changes or modifications in the approved operation plan
for laying the submarine cables and pipelines are required before the
operations start or during the operations, the owners shall report the
case to the competent authorities in good time. If the changes or
modifications are of sizable proportions, the competent authorities may
take appropriate measures accordingly, up to ordering the owners to cease
the operations.
Article 10
With respect to such operations as maintenance, alteration, dismantling,
or abandonment of the submarine cables and pipelines, the owners shall
submit a report on the said operations to the competent authorities in
advance. If a relatively big change is to be effected in the routes of the
submarine cables and pipelines, the owners shall go through the relevant
procedures of application once again.
When foreign vessels have the necessity to enter China's inland seas and
territorial seas to carry out activities in the maintenance, alteration,
or dismantling of submarine cables and pipelines, the owners shall, in
addition to going through the procedures as prescribed in the first
paragraph of this Article, submit an application to the administrative
department concerned in China for approval, in accordance with the
pertinent provisions of China's laws.
When the damaged submarine cables and pipelines laid on China's
continental shelves need emergency repairs, foreign maintenance vessels
may enter the site to start the emergency repairs simultaneously with a
report submitted to the competent authorities. However the said operations
shall not impair China's sovereign rights and jurisdiction.
Article 11
Operations such as the investigations and surveying activities for
identifying the routes for laying submarine cables and pipelines, the
laying, maintenance, and dismantling, must not hamper the normal order of
marine navigation and transportation. The bits and pieces left over from
the engineering project of laying submarine cables and pipelines and from
the dismantling project shall be disposed of carefully and must not hamper
the normal order of marine navigation and transportation.
Article 12
When the laying of submarine cables and pipelines and other marine
engineering operations require that those submarine cables and pipelines
already laid be moved, prior consultations must be conducted with the
owners of the aforesaid installations and an approval must be obtained
from the competent authorities before the said engineering project starts.
Article 13
Operators who are engaged in various activities at sea must protect the
submarine cables and pipelines that have already been laid. Those who have
caused damages to the said installations shall make compensations
according to law.
In the event that disputes arise over the exploitation of the seas and
oceans and the normal functioning of submarine cables and pipelines, the
disputes shall be mediated and handled by the competent authorities.
Article 14
The competent authorities shall have the power to supervise and inspect
the laying, maintenance, alteration, dismantling and abandonment of
submarine cables and pipelines as well as the relevant investigations and
surveying activities conducted for the laying of submarine cables and
pipelines. The competent authorities may impose on violators of these
Provisions such penalties as warning, fine, up to an order to cease their
operations at sea.
The specific measures for imposing the penalties as mentioned in the
preceding paragraph shall be formulated by the competent authorities in
conjunction with other competent authorities concerned under the State
Council.
Article 15
The plan for determining the routes for laying submarine cables and
pipelines beyond the petroleum exploitation zones in order to exploit
marine petroleum resources shall be submitted to the competent authorities
prior to the examination and approval of the overall plan for the
exploitation of oil (and gas) fields; and the competent authorities shall
give approval after consultation with the competent state authorities for
energy resources.
With respect to the laying of submarine cables and pipelines within the
marine petroleum development zones between the drilling platforms or
between drilling platforms and single berthing points, the owners shall,
before the start of the investigations and survey of routes for the laying
of submarine cables and pipelines and the start of cable-and pipeline-
laying operations, submit a report specifying the contents as provided in
Article 5 and Article 6 of these Provisions to the competent authorities
for the record.
Article 16
With respect to the operational activities such as laying, maintenance,
alteration, dismantling and abandonment of submarine cables and pipelines,
as well as the investigations and surveying activities conducted for
identifying the routes for laying the submarine cables and pipelines, in
case there are any aspects which are not covered in these Provisions, the
Provisions in other relevant State laws, decrees and regulations shall
apply.
Article 17
The laying of submarine cables and pipelines for military purposes in the
People's Republic of China shall be handled in accordance with these
Provisions. The armed forces may formulate specific rules for the
implementation of these Provisions.
Article 18
The competent authorities shall collect data concerning submarine
topography and the distribution of structures at sea in order to offer
consultancy services for laying of submarine cables and pipelines, and for
conducting relevant investigations and surveying activities.
Article 19
The term "cables", as used in these Provisions, refers to communications
cables and electric cables; the term "pipelines" refers to the pipe-shaped
conveying and transporting installations used for conveyance of water,
gas, oil and other substances.
Article 20
The right to interpret these Provisions resides in the State Oceanographic
Bureau of the People's Republic of China.
Article 21
These Provisions shall go into effect on March 1, 1989.
risdiction.
Article 11
Operations such as the investigations and surveying activities for
identifying the routes for laying submarine cables and pipelines, the
laying, maintenance, and dismantling, must not hamper the normal order of
marine navigation and transportation. The bits and pieces left over from
the engineering project of laying submarine cables and pipelines and from
the dismantling project shall be disposed of carefully and must not hamper
the normal order of marine navigation and transportation.
Article 12
When the laying of submarine cables and pipelines and other marine
engineering operations require that those submarine cables and pipelines
already laid be moved, prior consultations must be conducted with the
owners of the aforesaid installations and an approval must be obtained
from the competent authorities before the said engineering project starts.
Article 13
Operators who are engaged in various activities at sea must protect the
submarine cables and pipelines that have already been laid. Those who have
caused damages to the said installations shall make compensations
according to law.
In the event that disputes arise over the exploitation of the seas and
oceans and the normal functioning of submarine cables and pipelines, the
disputes shall be mediated and handled by the competent authorities.
Article 14
The competent authorities shall have the power to supervise and inspect
the laying, maintenance, alteration, dismantling and abandonment of
submarine cables and pipelines as well as the relevant investigations and
surveying activities conducted for the laying of submarine cables and
pipelines. The competent authorities may impose on violators of these
Provisions such penalties as warning, fine, up to an order to cease their
operations at sea.
The specific measures for imposing the penalties as mentioned in the
preceding paragraph shall be formulated by the competent authorities in
conjunction with other competent authorities concerned under the State
Council.
Article 15
The plan for determining the routes for laying submarine cables and
pipelines beyond the petroleum exploitation zones in order to exploit
marine petroleum resources shall be submitted to the competent authorities
prior to the examination and approval of the overall plan for the
exploitation of oil (and gas) fields; and the competent authorities shall
give approval after consultation with the competent state authorities for
energy resources.
With respect to the laying of submarine cables and pipelines within the
marine petroleum development zones between the drilling platforms or
between drilling platforms and single berthing points, the owners shall,
before the start of the investigations and survey of routes for the laying
of submarine cables and pipelines and the start of cable-and pipeline-
laying operations, submit a report specifying the contents as provided in
Article 5 and Article 6 of these Provisions to the competent authorities
for the record.
Article 16
With respect to the operational activities such as laying, maintenance,
alteration, dismantling and abandonment of submarine cables and pipelines,
as well as the investigations and surveying activities conducted for
identifying the routes for laying the submarine cables and pipelines, in
case there are any aspects which are not covered in these Provisions, the
Provisions in other relevant State laws, decrees and regulations shall
apply.
Article 17
The laying of submarine cables and pipelines for military purposes in the
People's Republic of China shall be handled in accordance with these
Provisions. The armed forces may formulate specific rules for the
implementation of these Provisions.
Article 18
The competent authorities shall collect data concerning submarine
topography and the distribution of structures at sea in order to offer
consultancy services for laying of submarine cables and pipelines, and for
conducting relevant investigations and surveying activities.
Article 19
The term "cables", as used in these Provisions, refers to communications
cables and electric cables; the term "pipelines" refers to the pipe-shaped
conveying and transporting installations used for conveyance of water,
gas, oil and other substances.
Article 20
The right to interpret these Provisions resides in the State Oceanographic
Bureau of the People's Republic of China.
Article 21
These Provisions shall go into effect on March 1, 1989.
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