China's newly established Sansha city in the South China Sea prepared Tuesday to set up a local legislative body.

The move shows the political power of the island city has started to form, an assertion of China's sovereignty.

The preparation began with the approval of a motion that calls for establishing an organizing committee for Sansha People's Congress, a local legislative body, to help elect 60 lawmakers at the island with 3,500 permanent residents, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The motion was submitted on Tuesday to Hainan provincial People's Congress Standing Committee to read in Haikou, capital of Hainan province.

The number of seats was decided in accordance with the country's Electoral Law and the Organic Law of the Local People's Congresses and Local People's Governments.

Sansha People's Congress, after established, will elect heads of municipal government, the people's court and procurator's office.

China's State Council approved in June the establishment of Sansha, a prefectural-level city that will administer the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha island groups and their surrounding waters in the South China Sea.

The government seat of Sansha will be stationed on Yongxing Island, part of the Xisha Islands.