In this Sept. 14, 2014 photo, Zhang Jing, a police officer poses with a Chinese national flag on the Quanfu island, a Paracels of Sansha prefecture of China's Hainan province. This is the southern frontier of China, Zhang said when he had reached one of the islands. As a Chinese, I feel proud to come here and declare sovereignty. (AP Photo/Peng Peng)(The Associated Press)

In this Sept. 14, 2014 photo, Chinese tourists take souvenir photos with Chinese national flag as they visit to Quanfu island, a Paracels of Sansha prefecture of China's Hainan province. A cheer erupted on board at the sight of the distant land, and passengers scurried to take pictures of each other at the railing holding Chinas bright red flag. (AP Photo/Peng Peng)(The Associated Press)

In this Sept. 14, 2014 photo, Chinese tourists disembark from an inflatable boat upon arrival in Quanfu island, a Paracels of Sansha prefecture of China's Hainan province. They had each waited months for permission to join the tour and then spent from $1,200 to about $2,000 to visit these barren patches of sand in the South China Sea, making do with the bland cabbage and noodles on board and blackouts of cellphone service. (AP Photo/Peng Peng)(The Associated Press)

In this Sept. 14, 2014 photo, Chinese fisherman Fan Qiusheng chats with a woman outside his wood-and-tarp shack on the Yingyu island, a Paracels of Sansha prefecture of China's Hainan province. Fan was waiting for tourists on the beach of Yingyu island outside the wood-and-tarp shack where he lives nine months of the year. He said the central government pays him 1,350 yuan, or about $220, a month to stay put while providing him with food, water, electricity and other supplies. (AP Photo/Peng Peng)(The Associated Press)

In this Sept. 14, 2014 photo, a Chinese navy frigate cruise near the paracel islands of Sansha prefecture of China's Hainan province. A cheer erupted on board at the sight of the distant land, and the other passengers scurried to take pictures of each other at the railing holding Chinas bright red flag. A few miles away, a Chinese navy frigate cruised by silently, part of the countrys continuing watch over the tiny islands it has long claimed as part of its territory. (AP Photo/Peng Peng)(The Associated Press)

ABOARD THE COCONUT PRINCESS Zhang Jing watched the gray shells of the Paracel Islands emerge from the purple, pre-dawn South China Sea. Here was the focal point of a cruise more about politics than pleasure.

Cheers erupted on board at the sight of the distant land, and Zhang and the other passengers scurried to take pictures of each other at the railing holding China's bright red flag. A few miles away, a Chinese navy frigate cruised by silently, part of the country's continuing watch over the tiny islands it has long claimed as part of its territory.

"This is the southern frontier of China," Zhang, a policeman, said when he had reached one of the islands. "As a Chinese, I feel proud to come here and declare sovereignty."

With the Tangshan resident and 167 other Chinese tourists on board, the ship had traveled more than 200 miles south of Hainan Island off China's southern coast to what they said was an indisputable outpost of their country.

Each had waited months for permission to join the five-day tour, and spent from $1,200 to about $2,000 to visit these barren patches of sand, making do with the bland cabbage and noodles on board and blackouts of cellphone service.

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Cruises to disputed islands offer bland food, gray views and a chance to press China's claims