China Continues To Expand Its Bases In The South China Sea

Greg Poling, the director of CSIS's Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said these places have gone "from being outposts on stilts to full islands, potentially with airstrips." CNN

Reuters: China appears to be working on third airstrip on disputed South China Sea islets: expert

China appears to be carrying out preparatory work for a third airstrip in contested territory in the South China Sea, a U.S. expert said on Monday, citing satellite photographs taken last week.

The photographs taken for Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank on Sept. 8 show construction on Mischief Reef, one of seven artificial islands China has created in the Spratly archipelago.

The images show a retaining wall around an area 3,000 meters (3,280 yards) long, matching similar work by China on two other reefs in the Spratlys, Subi and Fiery Cross, said Greg Poling, director of CSIS's Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI).

Poling said the work "more likely than not indicates preparations for a runway" on the reef.

WNU Editor: The U.S. navy is downplaying this Chinese expansion .... DSEI: Chinese Expansionism No Threat to U.S., Says Admiral (USNI).

More News On China Continuing To Expand Its Bases In The South China Sea

China Building Airstrip on 3rd Artificial Island, Images Show -- New York Times
China appears to be building another airstrip in the South China Sea -- Washington Post
Beijing resumes military construction on disputed shoal in South China Sea -- UPI
China apparently 'building third airstrip' in disputed sea -- CNN
China’s new reef bases add an edge to Xi Jinping’s forthcoming US visit -- The Guardian