In photos: China’s massive reclamation in disputed reef

Photos obtained by Rappler show China’s “massive” reclamation in Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef, a rocky sandbar turned into an artificial island that is believed to become the site of a runway for China’s air assets to be present in a disputed area already dominated by its ships. Taken on December 12, 2014, the photos show improvements in the reclamation site compared to the first photo published in November by security analysis group IHS Jane, the first to draw international attention to the construction of a possible airstrip and a harbor in the area. The latest photos show the presence of dredgers, cargo vessels, and fishing boats. China’s activities worry the Philippines and the US. American Assistant Secretary for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel Russel, who is in Manila, acknowledged that Beijing’s projects in the disputed areas are “an ongoing concern not only or claimants or ASEAN” but also for the US.

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