An official from the tourism authority of South China's Hainan province confirmed on Friday that China is mapping out a plan for developing tourism on the Xisha Islands.

Located 330 kilometers southeast of Hainan province, the Xisha Islands are one of four big island groups in the South China Sea, together with the Dongsha, Nansha and Zhongsha islands.

"Working together with the National Tourism Administration, we are designing a specific plan to open the Xisha Islands to tourists," said Wang Rulong, an official from the policy and regulation division of the Hainan tourism development commission.

The plan will spell out policies for industrial distribution, environmental protection of the uninhabited islands and other important factors related to the development of tourism in China's southernmost islands, Wang said.

There is as yet no detailed timetable for carrying out the plan, he said.

"Our tourism development plan for Xisha Islands will be in accordance with our country's diplomatic strategy," Wang said.

Former deputy director of the National Tourism Administration Zhang Xiqin, who is a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that the development of Xisha is "not simply an exploration of travel resources, it's more about claiming sovereignty over these islands."

"Personally, I think it is very necessary to open Xisha Islands as tourists' destination," Zhang said. "Allow our citizens to step on Xisha Islands and they will have a stronger feeling that Xisha and Nansha islands are indispensable parts of China."

Zhang pointed out that traveling to Xisha might be inconvenient at present as there are no?civil airlines or cruise boats to connect the islands to other parts of China.

"However, if our government attaches more importance to developing tourism on Xisha, this will no longer be a problem," he said.

Wang Xuan, a resident in Beijing, said he is looking forward to traveling to the Xisha Islands.

"The Xisha Islands are so mysterious, and since they are untouched by pollution, the scenery must be breathtaking," he said.