BEIJING - Chinese Foreign Ministry said Saturday that the two lighthouses recently built on reefs in the South China Sea will help guide passing vessels and significantly improve navigation safety.

As an important international shipping and fishing region, the South China Sea waters are busy. With complicated marine conditions, maritime traffic accidents occur quite often.

"The lighthouses on Huayang and Chigua reefs of China's Nansha Islands will provide efficient navigational aid and route guidance services and significantly improve navigation safety for passing vessels in the South China Sea," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

The construction of the lighthouses was completed as planned and a ceremony was held on Friday to mark the start of operation.

Navigational notices and warnings on the operation of the Huayang and Chigua lighthouses have been issued, in accordance with China's Maritime Traffic Safety Law and international practice, Hua said.

China will continue to construct other civilian and public facilities on its stationed reefs of the Nansha Islands, to better serve coastal nations in the South China Sea and passing vessels from around the world, she said.