Research On Water Police In Fujian Province During The Republic Of China

As the gateway of southeast China,Fujian Province enjoys dense river network and long coastline.At the same time,special geomorphic features,geographical location and the interlacing of various forces during the period of the Republic of China have determine complicity of human activities in the inland river basin and coastal sea area of Fujian.Especially in coastal areas,foreign population have witnessed frequent exchanges.Based on this situation,its commodity trade has been developed to a large extent.However,it also brought many problems.Smuggling and drug trafficking cases were common during the Republic of China in Fujian,and pirates frequently robbed merchant ships,which greatly interfered with the normal life order of inland rivers and coastal areas of Fujian as well as economic and trade exchanges at home and abroad.Besides,foreign trade activities of Fujian Province has also been greatly interfered.Therefore,it is urgent and necessary to establish the water police in there.The modern water police system started in the late Qing Dynasty.In the last years of Qing Dynasty,the Qing government completed the transformation from navy to water police,which was further developed in the period of the Republic of China.In 1914,Nan’ao Tsoying,Dushui ying and Meizhou ying in navy of Fujian were called Water Police Department in Fujian Province.Its establishment marks complement of the basic system of water police.After that,systems like examination and training,personnel management as well as rewards and punishments were further refined.Fujian water police gradually developed to the path of normalization,institutionalization and legalization.Preliminary formation of system framework of water police in Fujian Province has laid foundation for modernization transformation of the water police in Fujian Province.At the same time,by improving various policies and measures such as prevention before the event,control during the event and punishment after the event,the public were protected and guided,and fishermen and ships in distress were actively rescued.At the same time,it detected and suppressed tobacco and drug smuggling,combated pirates and bandits,maintained local public security,and checked foreign population,thus realizing effective public security management in water security.In the process of modernization transformation,it has effectively fighted pirates,suppressed tobacco and drugs,rescued fishermen and checked the inbound population by learning new technology and applying new equipment,thus effectively consolidating and maintaining rule of Beiyang Government and Nanjing National Government in the inland rivers and coastal waters of Fujian Province.Besides,it has provided protection for the coastal trade and the transit of commercial vessels,offering a stable security environment for economic development of the coastal areas.However,decentralized system design has led to limitation of functions and powers of the water police,long-term reduction of funds has restricted its growth,and incomplete law has failed to restrain its corruption.All these disadvantages accumulateed in the construction and practice of the water police have greatly reduced its effectiveness in the period of the Republic of China.