BEIJING - China's proposal to build a South China Sea tsunami early-warning center has been approved by a United Nations (UN) agency, the State Oceanic Administration announced on Thursday.

The center will monitor an area encompassing the South China, Sulu and Sulawesi seas, bordering nine countries, according to the administration.

The region used to rely on tsunami alert centers located in the United States and Japan.

The proposal was passed at an assembly of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC/UNESCO).

China's National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center will be responsible for building the center.