After carefully checking a pile of parcels bound for young soldiers stationed on remote islands in the South China Sea, fisherman Deng Dazhi paid the money to the deliveryman and signed his name.

The labels on the boxes tell a story about the life of these soldiers: shorts, chili sauce, mobile phones and sunscreen.

In a few days when he sets out to sea again, these goods will travel with him on the treacherous waters of the South China Sea for a whole day and a night.