Beijing says controversial work in South China Sea aimed at 'better weather forecasts'
Ahead of US talks, Beijing says building facilities in disputed waters is part of obligation to region
Beijing has defended its controversial construction work in the South China Sea, saying ahead of a crucial Sino-US meeting that it needs to build meteorological facilities to improve its weather forecasts.
The justification by two of China's most prominent meteorological scientists came on the eve of a meeting in Washington in which maritime disputes are likely to be high on the agenda.
In separate interviews with People's Daily, Ding Yihui of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Zheng Guoguang, head of the China Meteorological Administration, said China needed meteorological facilities in the disputed waters.
They said such facilities were needed to improve forecasts that would benefit the region, which was "suffering from frequent oceanic disasters and extreme weather and climate events".
"The construction of infrastructure for observation and communication is the first step towards enhancing and improving marine meteorological monitoring, warning, forecasting, prediction and scientific research," Ding said.