China concluded a survey of the southwest basin of the South China Sea on July 31, the China Geological Survey (CGS) said.

The expedition produced a "high-quality integrative geographic profile" of the basin's 1,000-km-long survey line, which stretches from the Xisha Islands to the Nansha Islands, according to a press release from the CGS.

The expedition will help scientists study tectonic activity in the South China Sea. Tectonic movements are important predictors of disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis.

The survey began on June 13 and was carried out by the Chinese research vessel Tanbao in collaboration with a French research unit.