China is building what could be its largest artificial island in South China Sea
China is developing a massive artificial island in the South China Sea, potentially its largest land-reclamation project in the region to date.
A Newsweek report in early January shared satellite images of China's newest and, by far, most expansive, reclamation activity at Antelope Reef, a disputed area in South China Sea's Paracel Islands. A satellite photo captured on Dec. 31, 2025 showed a dredging activity in its early stages; by February 2026, structures could be seen on the island as dredging continued.
As of March, a report by Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative estimates the area of reclaimed land in the reef stretched across roughly 1,490 acres, based on commercial satellite imagery from Vantor, with preliminary construction on some areas evident.
"Antelope Reef is set to become China's largest feature in the Paracels and potentially in the entire South China Sea, equaling or even surpassing the size of Mischief Reef in the Spratlys," said the report.
Before the reclamation activities began in October 2025, Antelope Reef was among the smallest maritime outposts of China in the Paracel Islands.
Today, reclaimed land on the reef is large enough for a 9,000-foot runway, similar to structures at Woody Island, which is among the Paracel Islands, and Mischief Reef, Subi Reef, and Fiery Cross Reef, which are all among the disputed Spratly Islands.
Once completed, the reef will also be massive enough to hold infrastructure, such as "diesel power plants, underground storage facilities, coastal defense emplacements, surface-to-air and anti-ship missile facilities, as well as numerous surveillance and electronic warfare installations," according to the report.
According to AMTI, the growing expanse of Antelope Reef would allow China to keep large numbers of its maritime militia in the area. The country has already been doing the same at Mischief Reef the past few years, says AMTI. With a developed island added the China's South China Sea structures, AMTI imagines Antelope Reef could become into a fully functional military facility, which is even closer to Vietnam. Per AMTI, Beijing's maritime expansion could even allow civilian presence in the Paracels.
Territorial disputes
The South China Sea is a highly disputed waterway where, per Newsweek, up to one-third of global maritime trade passes. Reports say China's claims cover over 80% of the area. Apart from the Asian powerhouse, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei also have territorial and maritime claims over areas in the South China Sea.
In the Paracels, where China has supposedly been reclaiming land since 2013, China's claims overlap with those of Taiwan and Vietnam. There are now 20 outposts, some of them militarized, in the group of islands, plus seven in the Spratlys.
In 2024, a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies said China's widespread sand dredging and overfishing in the South China Sea caused extensive ecological destruction. China denied the findings.
