BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's national observatory on Saturday continued to issue a blue alert for gales, as strong winds are expected to sweep across parts of the country.

From 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, strong winds are forecast to affect some areas in Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Xizang and Qinghai, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Meanwhile, parts of the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, Bashi Channel and South China Sea will experience high-intensity gales during this period, according to the meteorological center.

It has issued advisories for ships to exercise heightened caution against safety hazards during navigation and operations in gale-affected waters. Concurrently, it has urged relevant departments to implement precautionary measures prioritizing fire safety and transportation security.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system for strong winds, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. ■