China Offshore Environmental Services Ltd.(COES), a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), signed a memo Friday with a company of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on oil spill response cooperation.

The memo, signed with Korea Marine Pollution Response Corporation (KMPRC), a major company dealing with oil spill accidents and cleanup services of the ROK, is the first of the kind China has signed.
 
According to the memo, both sides will cooperate in oil spill emergency response, training, research and information sharing.

China, Russia, Japan and the ROK signed a memo on oil spill response cooperation this May on the basis of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP) among the four partners.

The new memo is considered a further move made by China and the ROK in technology and information sharing and communication in oils pill response. Established in 2003, the COES is the first company in China of its kind with the capability to deal with Tier 2 oil spill in accordance with international standards.

In the past two years, the COES has established an oil spill emergency response service network in China's Bohai Bay and has endeavored to expand the system to the country's other sea areas.

(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2005)