However, within a day of the ruling, China landed a civilian aircraft on Mischief Reef – a tiny bit of land in the Spratly Islands that was found to belong entirely to the Philippines.
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A national Chinese cruise company is planning to operate five to eight cruise ships in the South China Sea.
A cruise liner docks at Sanya’s Phoenix Island.
All along, China has contended that the islands of the South China Sea have been part of Chinese territory since ancient times and also that China reserves the right to set up air Defense (ADIZ) or “no fly” zones in the region to protect national security.
Hotels, villas, duty-free shops, tropical-themed commercial parks and commercial streets will all be built to improve the services on the island. After almost four years of deliberation, the Court ruled on several South China Sea issues, based on a case filed by the Philippines against the People’s Republic of China.
China’s top naval officer told U.S. Adm. John Richardson this week that his country will never stop its construction of man-made islands in the South China Sea, according to news reports.
Last month, China Cosco Shipping Corp announced its plan to launch cruise lines from Sanya to the Yongle Island soon.
On July 12, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a 500-page unanimous ruling in Republic of Philippines v. People’s Republic of China, and found that Beijing had violated the Philippines’ economic and sovereign rights.
Freedom of navigation patrols carried out by foreign navies in the South China Sea could end “in disaster”, a senior Chinese admiral said over the weekend.
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Dong Liwan, a shipbuilding industry professor at Shanghai Maritime University, said market promotion of tailor-made services such as island tours, marine tourism, cruise vacations and island-themed honeymoons are certainly needed to develop the travel business in the South China Sea.
