China's Massive Island Building Spree In The South China Sea Is Raising Tensions With Its Neighbors

Satellite imagery from 30 March, 7 August 2014 and 30 January 2015 shows the extent of Chinese progress in building an island at Gaven Reefs in the Spratly Islands.

Ethan Rosen via BellingCat.com/Zero Hedge: What Is China Building In The South China Sea?

The South China Sea contains some of the planet’s most disputed territory. Six countries - China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei - are squaring off as they compete over the rights to the sea.

The dispute centers on the contested Spratly Island Chain, a hodgepodge of small islands and submerged reefs which lie near the center of the South China Sea. All but Brunei have built military outposts in the Spratlys, and all of these countries minus China have built military airstrips on the islands. China, which arrived late to the Spratly land-grab, was left to occupy eight fully and semi-submerged reefs. With such little land to build upon, China has been playing catch up ever since.

More News On China's Massive Island Building Spree In The South China Sea

Imagery shows progress of Chinese land building across Spratlys -- IHS Jane's 360
China Builds Islands in Disupted South China Sea: IHS Jane's Defense Weekly -- NBC
Report: China building new islands in disputed waters -- CNN
China Expands Island Construction in Disputed South China Sea -- WSJ
South China Sea Island Construction Expands -- China Digital Times
China builds fortress in the sea: Satellite images show how Beijing has built massive artificial island including helipad and cement plant in just nine months -- Daily Mail
China to project power from artificial islands in South China Sea -- Reuters
How China is transforming the South China Sea -- Deutsche Welle
China’s Island-Building Spree Is About More Than Just Military Might -- Gwynn Guilford, Defense One/Quartz
China and the South China Sea Resource Grab -- Michael Fabinyi, The Diplomat