China is to begin running tourism cruises to a chain of disputed islands in the South China Sea by next month, state media reports.
The Xinhua news agency said tourists would live on board ships, as the largest island has only one hotel and no fresh water.
The islands, known in China as Xisha but the Paracels elsewhere, are claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan.
E-Biz 24/7 recalled that China has controlled them since a short war with South Vietnam in 1974.
In recent years tensions have been rising over the over-lapping territorial claims in the South China Sea, amid a more assertive stance from China.
Analysts view the latest move as an another step in China's battle to demonstrate that the potentially oil-rich area is Chinese.
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