August 20, 2026

The Chinese Academy of Sciences recently approved the establishment of the Zhongsha Islands marine ecological environment field observation and research station, marking a significant expansion of China's island reef observation network across the South China Sea.

Proposed by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the new station will fill an observation gap in the Zhongsha waters following the maturation and stable operation of observation platforms in the Xisha and Nansha islands. Its approval will help establish a comprehensive ecological observation network covering the island reefs of the South China Sea.

The Zhongsha Islands are located in the central waters of the South China Sea basin and consist of a group of reefs and atolls such as the Zhongsha atoll and Huangyan Island. The Zhongsha atoll is one of the world's rare giant submerged atolls, while Huangyan Island is the only oceanic atoll in the South China Sea.

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https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202608/20/WS6a8705f7a3106bc57421c9dc.html