BEIJING: China plans to build a lighthouse each on five islands in the disputed South China Sea after it had completed the site surveys for the construction.

According to state-run China News Service today, the islands are North Reef, Antelope Reef, Drummond Island, South Sand and Pyramid Rock.

Drummond Island and Pyramid Rock are located in the disputed Paracel Islands, where more than one hundred islets are also claimed by Vietnam.

Site surveys were carried out on July 27, the news service quoted Yang Qing, an official from the South China Sea Maritime Security Centre as saying.

Yang said the relevant authorities had made an initial decision on Aug 4, on the construction sites, referring to the five islands and alternative locations for the lighthouses.

The news service reported a lack of visual navigation aids and sea charts had directly affected the safety supervision of the ships, which led to the need for the lighthouses.

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