Airfield to aid South China Sea safety
Print Edition
A NEW airfield on a reef in the South China Sea will help ensure flight and navigation safety for planes and ships in the area and greatly improve the ability of marine salvagers, according to a Chinese official.
China has finished building the airfield on Yongshu Jiao in China’s Nansha Islands, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying confirmed on Saturday.
The South China Sea has long been an important seaway connecting China and the rest of the world, as well as a sea corridor between the Pacific and Indian Ocean, said Pan Wei, chief engineer of China Rescue and Salvage. “The severe shortage of navigation safety facilities, emergency rescue forces and equipment to deal with oil spills in the South China Sea has impeded the navigation security and economic and social development in the area.”
The airfield on Yongshu Jiao of China’s Nansha Islands will enhance the navigation safety in the busy sea lane.
Nearly 40 percent of global trade is carried through the South China Sea, which sees the passage of at least 40,000 ships annually.
Despite the significant role it plays, the security situation in the South China Sea is complicated. This was partially highlighted by the global search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in March 2014 as problems including lack of infrastructure, weak rescue forces and insufficient public services in the area undermined the timeliness of emergency response and assistance.
Waters surrounding the Nansha Islands are filled with busy shipping lanes and fishing activity. But since they are far from the Chinese mainland, immediate responses to shipwrecks, natural disasters or pirate attacks are difficult.
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