Tropical storm Bilis will turn into the fourth typhoon to threaten China this year in 48 hours, as it heads toward the offshore area of southeast China's Fujian Province, the provincial observatory forecast on Tuesday.

The storm formed in the west Pacific Ocean on July 9 and is moving in a northwest direction at 15 km per hour to the east of the Philippines.

The observatory issued the typhoon warning saying that Bilis is gathering strength as it approaches the province. The typhoon is expected to land on July 14 bringing downpours.
 
(Xinhua News Agency July 11, 2006)