By Wang Haiqing, Chen Jipeng

January 6, 2016

"China's testing of a newly-built airfield on Wednesday on Yongshu Jiao, a reef in the South China Sea, is nothing more than an effort by the country to better serve the needs of the great many vessels and seafarers using one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

The test, with the airport itself signifying a breakthrough in ocean exploration for humankind, calls for a break from the mindset of geographical competition. The airfield would provide benefits due to its convenient location on a reef in the middle of a vast sea, and would also help facilitate maritime research and conservation."

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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-01/06/c_134984004.htm

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