Gone are the days when Chinese sailors had to be without their wives during lengthy, monotonous overseas voyages. Authorities have agreed that ocean-going sailors can now bring their spouses aboard.

If the sailor wants to take her with him during an ocean-going sail, she is welcome aboard and the ship-owner company must pay for the food, medicine, insurance, documents and training.

"This is a warm, good news for the seamen," said Ma Guichuan, chairman of the Trade Union of the China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co.

Due to risks, hardships and historical factors, China has not allowed maritime sailors to bring their spouses for the past four decades. The wives were even not allowed to spend the night with their husbands onboard at domestic ports.

New China's ocean shipping industry began in 1961, and there are now almost 200,000 ocean-going sailors. COSCO, with more than 40,000 sailors, is the world's third-largest and the country's No 1 ship-owner operating international voyages.

(Xinhua News Agency October 20, 2003)