Beijing opens weather stations on artificial islands in South China Sea
- Observation facilities are located on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs in disputed Spratly archipelago
- Foreign ministry says they will be used to ‘better provide public services to nations’ in the area
China opened weather observation stations on three of its artificial islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday, according to state media.
They are located on the Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs in the contested Spratly Islands, where China has reclaimed several square kilometres of land and installed a number of military and civilian facilities.
The new stations could also be used for military purposes, but Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a press briefing on Thursday that they would mainly be used to ensure navigational safety in the South China Sea.
“The facilities will enable China to better provide public services to nations across the South China Sea,” he said.
The stations include equipment for basic ground and atmospheric observation as well as weather radars, which can be used together for constant monitoring of meteorological indicators, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
“This fills a gap, with weather observation now covering the Spratly archipelago and its surrounding waters,” the report said.