A maritime law-enforcement drill and joint patrol operation was carried out in the waters of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area on Tuesday ahead of the upcoming APEC meeting, with the aim of building a solid multi-tier aquatic defense.

The Guangdong Public Security Department said it had coordinated the deployment of around a dozen law-enforcement agencies or teams that deal with public security, customs, maritime administration, maritime police and marine comprehensive law-enforcement from coastal cities in the GBA.

The operation mobilized more than 500 law-enforcement officers, more than 50 law-enforcement vessels and more that 100 vehicles in tandem with Hong Kong and Macao.

Based on the principle of "combat readiness, practicality and tangible results", the drill simulated diverse real-case scenarios to verify the execution of emergency response protocols for water-related incidents, the Guangdong authorities said.

It leveraged a three-dimensional operational system covering air, surface water and underwater domains, with complex maritime law-enforcement scenarios involving illegal immigration via unlicensed high-speed boats — known locally as dafei — or violent resistance to law enforcement, hostage-taking or suspects jumping overboard to evade arrest.

It adopted tactics using police helicopters, unmanned aerial reconaissance vehicles, surface blockades by law-enforcement vessels, underwater arrests by divers, water rescue using motorboats and boardings of vessels by assault team members.

The exercise demonstrated the full spectrum of operational capabilities of Guangdong's maritime law-enforcement forces, including target locking and tracking, dynamic pursuit, interception on water, negotiation management, intelligent rescue, stealth infiltration, forced assault and arrest and on-site control, authorities said.

Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao met on Tuesday to advance strategies against illegal immigration and smuggling.

Multiple agreements were reached on APEC maritime security, early warnings about suspicious boats, intelligence exchanges and mutual case assistance.

The three sides announced the launch of the 50-day Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao joint anti-illegal immigration and anti-smuggling operation to create a secure and tranquil maritime environment to safeguard the APEC meeting.

The year 2026 is APEC's "China Year". The APEC meetings will be held in Guangdong's Shenzhen special economic zone in November.