China’s Navy and State Oceanic Administration will strengthen cooperation to safeguard the nation’s maritime rights and interest.

China’s Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday that high-ranking officials of the Navy and the State Oceanic Administration agreed to expand cooperation in a recent meeting.

The two agencies are expected to conduct joint operations to protect China’s national maritime rights.

Observers raise the possibility that the Chinese Navy may intervene in territorial disputes over regions in the South China Sea and East China Sea with neighboring countries.

The State Oceanic Administration is an administrative agency for the supervision and management of sea area uses and marine environmental protection. It also works to safeguard national maritime rights and interests, and carry out marine scientific and technical research.