BEIJING - China's meteorological authority said Saturday the super typhoon Sanba was positioned at waters 750 km southeast of Diaoyu Islands at 5 am and will move closer northward at a speed of 20 kmph.

According to forecast by the National Meteorological Center (NMC), typhoon Sanba, the 16th typhoon seen this year, will maintain or slightly weaken its strength before entering waters of the southeastern parts of the East China Sea on Saturday morning.

As a result, gales of Beaufort Force 7-9 are forecast in most parts of the East China Sea, the Taiwan Straits, waters east of Taiwan, the estuary of the Yangtze River, the Hangzhou Bay, the southern part of the Yellow Sea and coastal areas in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces from Saturday morning to Sunday morning.

According to the NMC, the super typhoon Sanba will whip up hurricanes at waters near its center as it passes through.

Also, the NMC said in its weather forecast that rains will continue in most parts of southwestern China, the southern and eastern part of Northwest China and the valley of the Yellow River in Inner Mongolia over the coming three days.