China says South China Sea tsunami alert center opened

From Malaya Business Insight (Mar 17): China says South China Sea tsunami alert center opened

China has set up a tsunami alert center in the South China Sea, the head of the country’s maritime regulator said on Wednesday, in Beijing’s latest effort to bolster its jurisdiction in the disputed waters. 

China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in shipborne trade passes every year. Neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

The United States has voiced concerns about China’s assertive pursuit of territory in one of the world’s busiest trade routes.

The tsunami alert center is under construction but has already begun initial operations, Wang Hong, the chief of the State Oceanic Administration told reporters on the sidelines of China’s annual meeting of parliament. 

He did not give details on the center’s location.

“We have already begun issuing tsunami alerts to the international community, including countries on the periphery of the South China Sea,” Wang said. “Cooperation in the South China Sea is one of our important focuses.

We hope to collaborate with South China Sea countries and create a peaceful and harmonious sea,” Wang said. China’s increasingly assertive claims in the South China Sea and its rapidly modernizing navy have rattled nerves around the region.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/china-says-south-china-sea-tsunami-alert-center-opened