The tourism cruises being conducted by China is a good strategy to strengthen its claim over the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, a security analyst said.

Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, said involving civilians will prove that China is really utilizing the island.

Hindi lang military approach ang ginagawa ng China ngayon kundi ini-involve na rin ang civilian para magkaroon ng social ownership sa China na ang mga teritoryo na ito ay bahagi talaga ng China, he said in an interview on GMA News' "Balitanghali".

May patriotic dimension yung pagpunta sa mga isla na yun dahil [para] sa kanila integral part ng Chinese territory yun, Banlaoi added.

Since the cruises started last year, at least 3,000 Chinese tourists have visited Southern Paracel Islands as part of a five-day tour of disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Vietnam and Taiwan also claim ownership of Paracel Island.

Chinese tourists pay from $1,200 to $2,000 to snorkel, dive, and swim off the white sand beachs of the small islands.

Status quo in West PHL Sea

The Armed Forces said the country can also turn the islands occupied by the Philippines into cruise ship destinations.

But Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin has recently said that President Benigno Aquino III has ordered them to maintain status quo in the highly-contested Spratly Islands in consideration of the arbitration case that the Philippines has filed before an international tribunal.

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China's tourism cruises good way to bolster claim to disputed islands security analyst