When people visit Yongxing Island in South China Sea for the first time, residents proudly point out symbols of China's sovereignty: a three-story gun tower and a 1-meter-tall stone.
A far-flung branch gives plenty of choice amid tide of change. Zhang Yunbi reports from Sansha city.
Sansha will become a major tourist attraction comparable to the Maldives and will be a key post on the Maritime Silk Road, its mayor said.
Class act by teachers allows pupils to enjoy life and learning on the country's southernmost outpost of education on Yongxing Island.
Vast distances, loneliness, wind and tide, are no obstacles to technicians answering the call, so that others can, well, answer their calls. China's largest cellular network provider is boosting and ensuring 4G signal access in the South China Sea.
The sea has been a pivotal part of Wang Chun's career since 1993 and his tide of progress has seen him now lead a work team that governs a slew of islands and waters. His role has earned him the affectionate title of "Patron of the Islands" from his colleagues.
At first glance, a road sign indicating the distance to New York and Bangkok, as well as other destinations, may seem out of place on tiny Yongxing Island, which hosts the city government of Sansha, but it has become a landmark in its own right.
China has dedicated "an incomparable amount of research, effort and funds" to protecting the South China Sea's vulnerable ecological system, a leading ocean ecology expert said.
Specialists say a handwritten book more than 600 years old is undeniable proof of China's sovereignty over Huangyan Island in South China Sea.
When Su Chengfen started his fishing life at the age of 13, there were no traces of foreigners in the Nansha Islands.
