More sea islands disappear in China

A five-year government survey finds that China faces a worsening problem over the disappearance of sea islands caused by disorderly and crude exploitation. Reclamation, sand dredging, and bombing islands are some of the destructive human activities that have caused the disappearance of islands, according to the survey, conducted by China's State Oceanic Administration (SOA).

In addition, the survey, which aims to document information about China's coast, sea islands, and inter-tidal regions, found that longer natural coastlines were converted into man-made structures over the past several years as urban development and port construction picked up. Using a high-resolution remote satellite and aerial remote sensing, the survey obtained full information on the distribution of coastal resources.

The SOA said that a directory of China's sea islands would be published in the near future, which would provide the latest and most comprehensive coastal information.