China to establishsea turtle protection centre in SCS

Strengthening its foothold in the disputed South China Sea China, China today announced plans to build a sea turtle protection centre in Sansha city of the strategic maritime region.
The city plans to set up a sea turtle protection centre to promote marine bio-diversity conservation in the region, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.
Sansha mayor Xiao Jie said the city intents to build a sea turtle refuge that integrates such functions as hatching, release and research.
The centre is expected to attract experts, volunteers and environmental organisations to Sansha, he said.
SanshaCity was officially established in 2012 to administer a host of islands, including the Spratly Islands.

China has already developed the area with schools, offices and other administrative infrastructure headed by local government.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan contested Beijing's claims over the area.
An international tribunal formed following the Philippines petition has struck down China's claims on almost all of the South China Sea.
China has opened new desalinisation plant and announced plans to set up a Marine Park at Hainan province.
Over the past four years, the Sansha city's environment has seen great improvements thanks to the new garbage collection system, sewage treatment plants and afforestation efforts, the Xinhua report said.