Welcome to the Paracel Islands.
After an 11-month suspension due to the pandemic, China s cruise ships have set sail again. And, with the Covid-19 outbreak largely under control, the first cruises to resume operations in the country are going to one of the world s most hotly disputed areas.
Two Chinese cruise ships have been back in service since December 9, running from Sanya, a port city in southern Hainan province, to the Paracel Islands which the Chinese call Xisha an archipelago in the disputed South China Sea that Beijing has laid territorial claim to.
Six other governments in the region, including Vietnam and the Philippines, also lay claim to at least parts of this vast swath of water, which contains the world s busiest shipping lanes and holds rich natural resources.