What China Has Been Building in the South China Sea

The speed and scale of China’s island-building spree have alarmed other countries with interests in the region. Chinaannounced in June that the creation of islands — moving sediment from the seafloor to a reef — would soon be completed. So far China has built port facilities, military buildings and an airstrip on the islands. The installations bolster China’s foothold in the Spratly Islands, a disputed scattering of reefs and islands in the South China Sea more than 500 miles from the Chinese mainland. Read more