In the vast South China Sea lie many ancient shipwrecks. Liao Zhu explores the secrets of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, hidden beneath the waves off south China's Hainan Province. 

The "Huaguang Reef No.1" shipwreck was discovered in 1996 at Huaguang Reef in the Xisha Islands. Now, the veil has been lifted on this Southern Song Dynasty ship, which has rested underwater for over 800 years. Nearly 10,000 relics, mainly made of porcelain, were discovered on the shipwreck.

The discovery of this old merchant vessel and others like it in the South China Sea provides evidence of China's early maritime exploration and development. Porcelain exports reflect the friendly exchanges between ancient China and neighboring countries.

BAO CHUNLEI, Director, Cultural Relics Preservation and Restoration Department, Hainan Museum "The discovery of the Huaguang Reef No.1 shipwreck is a milestone of maritime archeology, providing new evidence for studying China's ancient maritime history, shipbuilding, and navigation technology."

In May, China's State Council approved a list of protected zones for underwater relics discovered on two shipwrecks on the northwest continental slope of the South China Sea. The zone around Shipwreck No. 1 covers 20 square kilometers, and for Shipwreck No. 2 nearly 16 square kilometers.

The core area of the Shipwreck No. 1 site consists of the hull and a great amount of items. Over 540 relics have been discovered, including blue and white porcelain and white-glazed porcelain. The other, Shipwreck No. 2, mainly contains a large number of wood logs, with over 30 pieces uncovered.

SONG JIANZHONG, Manager, Archaeological Project of Shipwreck Sites on Northwest Continental Slope of South China Sea "With the technical foundations gained from work on Shipwrecks No. 1 and No. 2, we can further advance deep-sea archaeology in the South China Sea."

The relatively well-preserved shipwrecks, containing large relics, have great historical and artistic value. These discoveries hold significant importance for both Chinese and global deep-sea archaeology. Liao Zhu, Sansha Satellite TV in Hainan for CGTN.