China and the United States have established a growing mechanism for maritime cooperation that is essential to building a model relationship between the two countries, Chen Aiping, head of the China Maritime Safety Administration, said in a speech on Wednesday.

He was speaking at a meeting between CMSA and the US Coast Guard in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, where exchanges and cooperation on precursor chemical management and inspection was one of the most important topics discussed.

In a regulatory sense, precursor chemicals are those used in the manufacture of controlled substances or illicit drugs.