China is planning to offer the first regular civilian cruise service to the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea by 2020, Chinese state media said on Wednesday. The cruise service will run from Hainan province to the Spratly Islands, in response to increasing demand from commuters.

"The province (Hainan) plans a pan-South China Sea cruise line and cruise trips business covering countries along the Maritime Silk Road," state-owned newspaper China Daily said.

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Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she does not have much information about the information, but stated that it was normal for Hainan to develop its tourism industry in Chinese territory.

Experts claim that the Chinese government's plan to start the cruise service to the Spratly Islands would give China its first permanent presence in the maritime heart of Southeast Asia. It is not known whether or not foreign citizens would be allowed to use the cruise service.

Beijing's latest plan is likely to further infuriate all other claimants in disputed maritime territory, as well as the U.S. China's construction activities in contested areas of South China Sea have already caused immense tension in the region.

China has built many military facilities, airfields, and non-military facilities on various artificial islands over the recent months. China's excessive construction activities on artificial islands is widely seen as a symbol of China's assertiveness over the South China Sea.

However, the Chinese government has always maintained that construction activities on artificial islands are purely for civilian purposes.

China claims most of the South China Sea as its own, but its claim is challenged by other counries in the region - Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Tagschina, spratly islands, South China Sea, south china sea news