A vegetable production base on the Yongle Islands has begun to provide fresh vegetables to residents of the islands in South China Sea, ending the historical reliance on produce brought in by ships.

The Yongle Islands consist of 13 islands, which are located 40 nautical miles southwest of Yongxing Island, the seat of Sansha. In 2016, the Sansha military garrison proposed building a vegetable production base on the islands. Thanks to the joint efforts of military and civilian leaders, a greenhouse covering 567 square meters was built on Jinqing Island, the administrative center of the Yongle Islands.

The greenhouse was built with materials that resist wind, sun and erosion. Solar panels were installed on top of the greenhouse to absorb excessive heat inside the structure. In addition, an intelligent system was installed to maintain the proper temperature.

At present, workers are growing tomatoes, amaranth and water spinach in the greenhouse. More vegetables will be planted in the future, with an eventual weekly yield of 200 kilograms anticipated.