China has set up a tsunami alert center in the South China Sea, the head of the country's maritime regulator said Wednesday, in Beijing's latest effort to bolster its jurisdiction in the disputed waters.

China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

The United States has voiced concerns about China's assertive pursuit of territory in one of the world's busiest trade routes.