China’s Supreme Court is setting up its own international maritime “judicial centre” to handle territorial disputes.

• The top court gave few details in its announcement, but said the centre would help China become a “maritime power”.
• Beijing is locked in disputes with its neighbours over claims in the resource-rich South China Sea, with tensions raised in recent months over China’s aggressive land reclamation.
• It has also squared off with Japan over the Diaoyu or Senkaku islands.
• The announcement of the new centre came from Chief Justice Zhou Qiang during the ongoing annual meeting of China’s parliament.
• China claims a large swathe of the South and East China Sea, creating multiple overlaps with areas claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan.
• The Philippines currently has a case lodged against China at the UN’s Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
• Beijing has refused to participate in the tribunal, saying the court has no power to rule on the matter.
• Opponents have accused Beijing of militarisation but China says such construction is within its rights and any building is for civilian purposes.