1 / 6   Located to the southeast of Hainan Island, Xisha Islands consist of Yongle Islands and Xuande Islands. Xisha Islands are famed for their abundant natural resources and beautiful marine scenery. It is also one of the famous fisheries in China. Its wide waters dotted with reefs are rich in seafood, including many valuable species, attracting lots of fishermen every year.

2 / 6   On June 21, 2012, the city of Sansha was established on Yongxing Island, the biggest of the Xisha Islands, to administer the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha island groups and their surrounding waters in the South China Sea.

3 / 6   On January 6, 2015, the first commute and supply vessel, "Sansha No. 1" successfully completed its first operation. The vessel, which can accommodate up to 456 people and carry 20 standard container trailers, can navigate 6,000 nautical miles without docking and sail at a speed of up to 19 nautical miles per hour.

4 / 6   On October 9, 2015, two large multifunctional lighthouses on Huayang Reef started their official commission. The completion of the airport on Yongshu Reef was announced by Hua Chunying, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, on January 2, 2016.

5 / 6   Postal services are also available on Xisha Islands. Local post offices provide communication services to military staff, local citizens and tourists. In 2016, maritime mobile communications coverage was achieved between Qinglan Port of Wenchang and Yongxing Island through a project onboard “Sansha No.1.”

6 / 6   The cruise ship “Princess Coconut” set sail from the Sanya Phoenix Island International Cruise Terminal in Hainan Province on September 2, 2014, carrying 200 tourists. It marked the official opening of the tourist route from the city of Sanya to Xisha Islands.