SANYA - A satellite data receiving station was launched on Friday enabling China to now obtain observation information about the South China Sea.

The station, in Sanya in south China's island province of Hainan, was launched by the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

China will now be able to obtain satellite remote sensing data of the country's southern territorial waters for civil use directly from its ground-based receiving facilities, according to an institute statement.

The station has two sets of data receiving and transmission systems, getting information from more than 10 satellites, the statement said.

A research center based at the Sanya station was also launched on Friday, which will conduct scientific research in disaster monitoring, marine sciences and of the environment.