China's southern Hainan province, which administers the country's claimed islands and waters in the contested South China Sea, is allowing individuals to use uninhabited islets for tourism and construction purposes for up to 50 years, state-run media has reported, citing an official document.
The document, revealed Wednesday, says that "any entity or individual" who wishes to develop uninhabited islands can apply and provide development plans to provincial ocean administration authorities, according to Hainan's Department of Ocean and Fisheries, the state-run CGTN website reported Friday.
The development would focus mainly on uninhabited islands in the Paracel chain, home to hundreds of undeveloped islets. The Paracels, which are occupied by China, are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, and is home to Woody Island, the nerve center and administration post for much of China's operations in the strategic waterway.