China will open disputed islands to tourists
This month, China will allow tourists to book cruises to the Paracel Islands, a cluster of 40 islets, outcrops and reefs in the South China Sea. Vietnam and Taiwan also claim the Paracels as their own.
A Chinese fishery administration ship leaves the Xingang Port of Haikou March 26, to conduct patrol missions in waters off the Paracel Islands and Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. This month tourists will be allowed to visit the Paracel Islands, which Vietnam and Taiwan also claim as their territory.
Guo Cheng/Xinhua/AP
Beijing
聽will this month start allowing tourists to visit the聽, one of a group of disputed islets and reefs in the聽, state news agency聽聽said, a move likely to irk rival claimant聽.听
A cruise ship that can accommodate 1,965 passengers is ready for sailing to the聽, known in Chinese as Xisha,听聽reported, citing ship owner聽
聽Harbour and Shipping Holdings Co is building another cruise ship.
"Tourists will eat and sleep on the cruise ships and can land on the islands for sightseeing" ahead of Labour Day on May 1, Tan Li, vice governor of聽's southernmost island province of聽, told聽聽late on Saturday.
There is only one hotel with 56 rooms on Woody Island, the largest island in the聽, the agency said.
"Prices will be relatively high due to the high costs of tourism infrastructure construction,"聽, general manager of a tourism agency in聽, told聽.
Last year,听聽approved the formal establishment of a military garrison in Sansha city, which is located on Woody Island. The city administers the mostly uninhabited islands in the聽听飞丑颈肠丑听听肠濒补颈尘蝉.
Tan said local authorities will build more supply ships and infrastructure in Sansha, including ports, water supply and sewage treatment facilities.
聽took full control of the聽聽- a cluster of close to 40 islets, outcrops and reefs - in 1974 after a naval showdown with the then聽, and there have been incidents ever since.听聽also claims the聽.
Last month聽听补肠肠耻蝉别诲听聽of opening fire on a fishing boat near the聽聽and burning down its cabin, charges聽听诲别苍颈别诲.
,听,听,听聽and the聽聽also claim other parts of the聽, including the Spratly Islands.听聽has a separate dispute with聽聽in the East聽听厂别补.
聽is in an increasingly angry dispute with its neighbours over the claims to parts of the potentially oil and gas-rich聽.听聽lays claim to almost the whole of the sea, which is criss-crossed by crucial shipping lanes.