China has announced plans to set up a submarine observation network that will explore the seabed of the disputed East and South China Sea regions, the first of its kind.

Chinese state media outlet Xinhua news reported that the project would collect data to be analyzed in Shanghai, and will be completed within five years at a total cost of more than 2.1billion yuan ($310 million).

The system will allow it to explore deep under the sea in a region where its presence has proved contentious. According to the South China Morning Post, Zhou Huaiyang, a professor at the School of Marine and Earth Science at Tongji University, said that the collected data could be used to explore natural resources and protect China’s maritime interests and national security.

http://www.newsweek.com/china-announces-submarine-observation-network-south-china-sea-623501