Amid sea disputes, China to set up maritime 'judicial centre'

A Chinese Coast Guard vessel is pictured on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea March 29, 2014. Picture taken March 29, 2014. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

BEIJING (Reuters) - China plans to set up an "international maritime judicial centre" to help protect the country's sovereignty and rights at sea, its top judge said on Sunday.

Giving a work report at the annual meeting of China's largely rubber-stamp parliament, chief justice Zhou Qiang said courts across China were working to implement the national strategy of building China into a "maritime power".