Full coverage: The South China Sea Issue

China has carried out successful test flights at two new airports in the Nansha Islands. The two new airports, on the Meiji Reef and Zhubi Reef, offer additional landing choices for flights across the South China Sea.

China has carried out successful test flights at two new airports in the Nansha Islands. The two new airports -- on the Meiji Reef and Zhubi Reef -- offer additional landing choices for flights across the South China Sea.

“In terms of the flatness of the runway, monitoring conditions and in-flight navigation equipment, everything fell within official operating standards,” said Hu Yueqiu, flight captain, China Southern Airlines.

Two airplanes took off from Haikou, capital of south China’s Hainan province early Wednesday morning. They landed at the new airports at Meiji and Zhubi after flights of around two hours. Both returned to Haikou after a short stay on the reefs.

The test flights have proven the two airports are capable of supporting the safe operation of passenger airplanes. They are also expected to offer public services, such as meteorological information, emergency rescue and landing, oceanographic surveillance and environmental protection.