The United States and China have conducted great cooperation in enforcing fishery protocols over the past years, said Thomas H. Collins, commandant of the US Coast Guard, Thursday in Beijing.

Citing fishery as the most productive example of joint operation, Collins said the two countries interdicted five illegally fishing vessels through coordinating efforts in 2003.

That is a "strong signal" of the two countries' commitments to preventing illegal fishing and protecting the living environment, said Collins at a news briefing in the US embassy to China.

In 1990, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution banning high seas drift-net fishery; In 1993, China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding on

cooperation and implementation of the resolution. According to the memorandum, China sends fishery enforcers to join the US Coast Guard to carry out maritime joint operation.

Recognizing the expiration of the memorandum on Dec. 31, 2004, Collins said the two sides committed to extending the cooperation beyond the expiration date. The US side would enhance cooperation with China to facilitate maritime security, maritime industry and maritime environment.

During talks with Chinese Vice-Minister of Agriculture Zhang Baowen Thursday morning, Collins spoke highly of measures China had taken to crack down on high seas drift-net fisheries.

Based on fishery trends in the world oceans, the increasing cooperation between the two countries would be crucial to prevent illegal fishing and the destruction of the world's natural resources, Zhang told Collins.