Great expectation

In September 2009, the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, founded China's first deepwater marine observatory on Yongxing. Chen Chang, the station's director, is based in Guangzhou but rotates with his colleagues every two months, ensuring that four researchers man the station at all times.

When the station was under construction, a labor shortage meant that 40 researchers, each with a doctorate, had to dig the channels to house electrical wires and water pipes, leading the islanders to nickname them the "doctorate migrant workers".

Their tribulations didn't end with physical labor. In July 2010, the supply boat was delayed for a month as Typhoon Conson hit the area. After 15 days, the food supplies were exhausted and the researchers were reduced to a diet of pumpkins and edible wild herbs.

On the night of July 15, the typhoon almost destroyed the station's front door, which Chen had secured with two large bolts to withstand the wind (which reached speeds of 280 km an hour, according to Chen). The door held, but Chen said the memory of that night is still vivid.

"The island is paradise if you stay for one day, but it's like a prison when you are there for months or years. So it's crucial for us to work with the local authorities to provide better backup," he said, adding that the institute will sign a strategic cooperation agreement with the Sansha city government by the end of the year.

The administration office for Xisha, Nansha and Zhongsha islands was established in 1959 and managed by Guangdong province. In 1988, it was put under the jurisdiction of the newly established Hainan province. The office has 18 functional departments and 20 public institutions, according to reports in the Hainan Daily newspaper.

Zhuang Guotu, director of the Nanyang Research Institute at Xiamen University, said the upgrading of Sansha city will benefit the islanders and safeguard national sovereignty in the South China Sea.

The administration office does not have power to make independent decisions at present, according to Zhuang. Instead, issues are reported to the Hainan provincial government, which then decides how to tackle problems.

"An increasing number of people will come with the city government," said Zhuang. "Then the local authorities will be able to organize tourism and the fishing industry to reflect the big picture."

Contact the writers at huyongqi@chinadaily.com.cn