According to satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press, China appears to be building an airstrip on a disputed island in the South China Sea that Vietnam and Taiwan also claim.
The work on Triton island in the Paracel group resembles construction on seven man-made islands in the Spratly group to the east, which has been outfitted with airstrips, piers, and military systems, albeit on a somewhat smaller scale.
China Appears to be Constructing Airstrip on South China Sea Island
Per Fox News, China asserts ownership of virtually the entire South China Sea, rejecting the claims of others and defying an international ruling that invalidates its claim.
AP analysis of Planet Labs PBC satellite images reveals that airstrip construction was first evident in early August. As presently designed, the airstrip would be longer than 600 meters (2,000 feet), accommodating turboprop aircraft and drones but not fighter jets or bombers.
In addition, a large number of vehicle traces and what appear to be containers and construction equipment are visible on the island. Triton is one of the largest islands in the Paracel archipelago, which is roughly equidistant from the Vietnamese coast and the Chinese island province of Hainan.
The United States takes no position on the sovereignty claims but routinely conducts "freedom of navigation operations" in the vicinity of the Chinese-held islands. In 2018, Triton was the focus of one of these missions.
For years, China has maintained a small harbor, structures, a helipad, and radar arrays on the island. A star from the Chinese emblem and a hammer and sickle representing the governing Communist Party are displayed on two expansive fields on the island.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite a ruling by an international court that its claims lack legal support, according to The Guardian.
Beijing has previously asserted its claims in the waters by constructing and fortifying islands elsewhere and by constructing military facilities on the Spratly group to the east. Any ongoing activity on Triton Island appears to be in its infancy.
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South China Sea Issue
The South China Sea, a strategically significant waterway and one of the world's busiest trade routes, is highly contested and regarded as a potential flashpoint of global significance.
Countries such as Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei have claimed that overlap, while the United States considers the waters vital to its national interests and frequently conducts "freedom of navigation operations."
Planet Labs images of Triton also depict vehicle traces and what appear to be containers and construction equipment. The island is roughly equidistant from the Vietnamese coastline and the Chinese island province of Hainan. It has been under Chinese control since 1974.
According to the Asia Maritime Initiative, Triton already possessed modest harbors and a helipad. Two fields depicting a star from the Chinese emblem and a hammer and sickle representing the governing Communist party are visible in satellite images.
China has not disclosed the specifics of its island construction projects, but it maintains that any work is intended to enhance navigational safety and has denied allegations that it is militarizing the waterway.
The Philippines, another major claimant in the South China Sea dispute, has accused Chinese vessels of hazardous and aggressive behavior, including launching a water cannon and a military-grade laser at its coast guard vessels.
The Philippines expanded US access to its military bases in March, enhancing Washington's presence in the region and enabling it to more readily monitor Chinese activity in the South China Sea near Taiwan. The Philippines have also strengthened military ties with two US allies, Japan and Australia.
The United States takes no position on the sovereignty claims but routinely conducts "freedom of navigation operations" in the vicinity of the Chinese-held islands. In 2018, Triton was the focus of one of these missions. Per The Independent, Vietnam lost control of the Paracel Islands to China in a brief naval conflict in 1974.
