China starts enlarging another disputed island in the South China Sea
Daily MailChina is artificially enlarging disputed islands in the South China Sea as Xi Jinping looks to solidify the country's presence in the region, it has been revealed. New images give the most-detailed picture yet of military bases that China has spent the best part of a decade building on remote reefs and atolls in the South China Sea, as it tries to lay claim over the entire region Fiery Cross Reef Fiery Cross Reef is controlled by China as part of Sansha of Hainan Province, despite Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines all claiming the island as their own. The Chinese Communist Party has spent the better part of a decade turning the reefs into military bases A wider-angle view of the same island shows a collection of building at the near end and another array of radome-topped towers at the far end Subi Reef On the smaller side of the Spratly Islands, Subi Reef is also administered by China Hainan province. It also features radar domes similar to others nearby The reefs are located between countries that contest China’s claim to the region and stake their own assertions on defensive and economic access The close up pictures are some of the most detailed photos yet available of what China is up to in the region Mischief Reef On Mischief Reef, one of the larger islands, two Type 022 Houbei class catamaran fast attack missile craft can be seen docked on the left side of the island, readily recognizable by their camouflage scheme. The boats can carry up to eight YJ-83 subsonic anti-ship missiles and a 30mm H/PJ-13 Gatling guns Four aids to navigation mark the visibly deeper channel between the island and another section of the reef A wider-angle view of the same island shows a collection of building at the near end and another array of radome-topped towers at the far end Buildings and structures are seen on the artificial island built by China in Mischief Reef on October 25, in the Spratly Islands Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam all have territorial claims to the areas in which China has built islands and put its flag Cuarteron Reef Cuarteron Reef photos show naval gun emplacements on a series of towers, alongside a radar gunnery director.