China completed a system designed to monitor the movement of Earth's crust and predict earthquakes on March 2, said the China Earthquake Administration.

Based on satellite navigation, it involves a network of 260 constant observing sta-tions and 2,000 part-time observing stations equipped with advanced data-processing technology. The network will also be used for weather forecasting and scientific research.

The new network is one of the most advanced means of observing the movement of Earth's crust, along with the U.S. Plate Boundary Observation system and Japanese GEONE .

China started the project in December 2007, with a total investment of 524 million yuan ($83.2 million).