"We are proud to say that China's understanding of the coral reefs in the South China Sea-the result of its scientific research and dedicated budgets - is beyond compare," Chen said.

The Sansha government is also supporting fishermen in new ventures, including the opening of restaurants and inns on the islands.

Luo Haiyun, chief of the Sansha branch of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, said the number of point-of-sale machines installed at restaurants run by fishermen has been increasing since 2013, a clear sign that business is booming.

"I suggest more favorable policies for the island dwellers and fishermen, encouraging them to shift to recreational fishing and tourism," Chen said. Contact the writers at [email protected]

Lawns stay green with recycled water

Fresh water is precious on the remote islands of the South China Sea, so it may be surprising to learn that it's used to water the grass on Yongxing Island.

"Currently we process at most 200 tons of wastewater per day. Our largest daily capacity is 1,800 tons," said Pan Gao, the staff member in charge of water recycling at the treatment plant.

Yongxing, home to China's southernmost city Sansha accommodates a range of services, including schools, shops, restaurants and banks, along with residents from all walks of life who produce daily waste.

Pan, 27, expressed confidence that the treatment plant "still has a lot of potential to be tapped" because the total amount of wastewater collected is deliberately limited, partly because the island's population is small.

Most wastewater on Yongxing is recycled, and Pan said the plant produces 120 to 150 tons of usable water each day. "In order to protect the environment, the island has stopped tapping underground water," he said. "Given the scanty amount of usable water here, most recycled water is used for irrigation, including the lawns in front of the municipal government building, and for industrial purposes."

Xiao Jie, Sansha's mayor, said the island has eliminated all extraction of underground water as of the end of last year, and more than 30 wells have been sealed

The city, which was established in 2012, has built a water desalination plant with a daily capacity of 1,000 tons, he said. "The city has brought about greater care for the ocean's ecology and environment," Xiao said. "It is our duty to make the sky cleaner, the islands greener and the seawater clearer."