China will build a four-level network for monitoring and evaluating changes in the surface of oceans this year.

While addressing an ongoing annual conference of the State Oceanic administration (SOA) held in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, SOA Chief Sun Zhihui said the network would be built on the basis of the country's existing systems for observing the oceans and making predictions.

Once completed, SOA will provide scientific data for development plans, said Sun.

"Our priority will go to construction of the forecasting agencies at the prefectural level, and great efforts should be made to expand offshore observation," said the official, adding "we must provide society with a quality forecasting service."

Construction of a comprehensive mechanism featuring marine climate changes response was also included on the work agenda for 2008.

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2008)