China to build five lighthouses in disputed Paracel Islands

China is planning to build five lighthouses in the disputed Paracel Islands in a move analysts said shows Beijing's firm stance over its claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea.

The Navigation Guarantee Centre of South China Sea said it had decided on the locations of the lighthouses in the area, which the Chinese authorities call the Xisha Islands, the China News Service reported yesterday.

The deployment of a Chinese oil rig in the region in May sparked riots in Vietnam, which also claims the islands.

The lighthouses are planned for North Reef, Antelope Reef, Drummond Island, South Sand and Pyramid Rock, small islets and reefs with part of their land surface below the waves at high tide.

Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly criticised the plans, saying it has indisputable sovereignty over the islands and that the move is illegal.

Officials spent a week surveying the area before selecting the sites that offered a safe place to berth ships, the China News Service reported. The lighthouses will improve navigation in the area, according to Chinese officials.