China is building a tsunami alert centre in South China Sea and the facility in the disputed region has been approved by the UN.

• It has begun operations and has already issued tsunami alerts to the international community, including neighbouring countries in the South China Sea.
• The project has received United Nations approval.
• This is the latest announcement on facilities China is constructing in the disputed South China Sea.
• China defends facilities in the South China Sea like a light house saying that it will benefit all the countries in the region while critics say it is an attempt by Beijing to solidify its presence in disputed islands and reefs with permanent structures.
• Officials of South China’s Hainan Province also announced that the province is building piers and restoring the ecological environment on the the Paracel islands which China calls as Xisha Islands.
• Lighthouses have started operating since October on Huayan and Chigua reefs in the Nansha (Spratly) islands, whilethe airport on Yongxing Island has been managing flights.
• China’s claims are countered by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
• United States Navy too is actively present in the area as Washington seeks to assert freedom of navigation in the South Chia Sea.
• China’s foreign ministry has reiterated that such construction falls within China’s sovereignty rights and are civilian and public facilities aimed at better serving coastal nations in the South China Sea as well as maritime traffic from around the world.