BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- China's tsunami warning center in the South China Sea is expected to start trial operations this year, according a UNESCO body.

The work team of the South China Sea region with the Intergovernmental Coordination Group of the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/PTWS), a body of the UNESCO'S Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, has held a meeting in Shanghai to discuss tsunami alerts in the region.

The meeting suggested the 27th ICG/PTWS session scheduled for this year should approve testing of the center before the end of the year.

The meeting also called for collaboration between the new warning center and another two in Pacific ocean.

"Issuing tsunami alerts to the international community is an important move for China to boost regional marine cooperation and participate in global ocean governance," said Yu Fujiang with the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center.

The meeting also called for improving data sharing by establishing a monitoring network for earthquakes and tsunamis in the South China Sea region.

The meeting was attended by representatives with the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the U.S. National Weather Service and the Japan Meteorological Agency.