Mayor answers: 'I'm from the sea'

Whenever he is asked where he's from, Xiao Jie, the mayor of Sansha, Hainan province, gives a surprising answer: "I'm from the sea."

The answer actually makes sense. Xiao is responsible for the largest maritime area in China, some 2 million square kilometers in the South China Sea.

He figures that about a third of every year sees him on the waves, traveling more than 10,000 nautical miles to visit and inspect the islands and reefs he administers.