New installations emerge on islet as China accelerates South China Sea build-up
Analysts say the build-up could become China’s largest military base, with an artificial island nearly 6 km long and a straight 3 km-plus coastline.
- Satellite imagery revealed new installations on Yagong, an islet located 14km north-east of Antelope Reef within the Crescent Group in the Paracels of the South China Sea.
- Vantor satellite images from August 17 show an artificial island at Antelope Reef nearly 6km long, with a straight coastline longer than 3km that analysts believe could support a potential runway.
- Singapore-Based security scholar Collin Koh described the Yagong installation as "most likely a radar station," while a Vantor spokesperson noted structures there resemble military early-warning facilities seen elsewhere in the region.
- China has not responded to requests for comment regarding the construction; state media claimed the developments serve civilian needs such as weather forecasting and scientific research, though China has occupied the Paracels since 1974.
- The area is contested by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei, while Vietnam has expanded its own network of bases in The Spratlys in recent years to strengthen its regional position.
12 Articles
12 Articles
The satellite images show month after month the rapid transformation of Yagong Reef, in the Paracel islands of the South China Sea, where new structures appeared between March and August. The area is located only 14 kilometers from the nearby Antelope Reef, where China has just completed the first phase of construction of a large artificial island. According to analysts, the new Yagong installations could be intended for an early warning radar s…
New installations emerge on islet as China accelerates South China Sea build-up
New installations have been sighted on an islet near Antelope Reef in the Paracels archipelago of the disputed South China Sea where analysts believe China is building its largest military base, according to satellite imagery reviewed
China is building a new military base on the Antelope reef, which is located on the Paracel Islands, which are a group of islands located in the South China Sea. The Chinese government is building a new artificial island in which it could develop military activities in an area of the planet marked by ... Continue reading "While the whole world is looking at Ormuz China just built an artificial island that already worries experts: it could be a s…
China's work on the Paracel Islands, challenged by Taiwan and Vietnam, continues to advance. Investigator Damien Symon and the Open Source Centre indicate that there are satellite images revealing a new dock and that the dredges have been replaced by cargo ships
Newtalk News: China's military expansion in the South China Sea has once again raised serious international concerns. Newly released satellite images show that Antelope Reef, located in the Paracel Islands, has undergone continuous reclamation work in the past 10 months, rapidly expanding from a submerged reef into a large artificial island with an area of 6 square kilometers. This massive project quietly began at the end of 2025. Further readin…
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