Raising from the shallows

Published on May 30, 2015

This map is an excerpt from our print back page published on May 30, 2015

Sources: Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, US Energy Information Administration, Global Security, Middlebury College.
Sources: Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, US Energy Information Administration, Global Security, Middlebury College. SCMP Graphic: Kaliz Lee, Simon Scarr

Latest development on Vietnam-occupied reefs

Published on May 13, 2015

Vietnam has also extended and beefed up military facilities in their South China Sea territories. Vietnam has so far occupied 29 reefs in the Spratly Islands and new satellite imagery released last week by DigitalGlobe shows Vietnam has carried out land reclamation on two sites in the disputed areas of Sand Cay and West London Reef.

January 2010
April 2015
Photo: CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe via AFP

A significant expansion has also been recorded at a sandbank on West London Reef. According to Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, the sandbank has been expanded from 12,595 square metres to 77,596 square metres, with breakwaters constructed on the south of the landmass and various vessels have been seen moored offshore.

August 2011
February 2015
Photo: CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe via AFP

The landmass of Sand Cay was increased from 41,690 square metres to 62,970 square metres between 2011 to 2015. The beach on the western side of the island was expanded and development work that includes a new pier and a large building  complex is continuing on the southern edge of the island.

China’s major constructions in the South China Sea

Published on May 13, 2015

China has de-facto control over eight reefs in the Spratly Islands, all under the administration of Sansha city, a new city it created in 2012 amid increasing tensions over disputed territories in the South China Sea.

April 2015
Photo: CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe via AFP

Fiery Cross Reef - China is now building what it looks like a combined air and navy base in the Fiery Cross Reef, or Yongshu in Chinese, turning it into the largest island in Spratly Islands. Satellite imageries show that China is dredging a harbour that can accommodate its largest naval vessels and an airstrip long enough (3,300 metres) for most combat and support aircraft in the People’s Liberation Army, Navy and Air Force. China said in April that the expansion was within its territory, and mostly to assist maritime rescue, fishery, navigation, and weather forecast. The island is also claimed by Vietnam and the Philippines.

February 2015
Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines via EPA

Johnson South Reef (Chigua Reef in Chinese) - According to Jane’s report, until early 2014, the only man-made feature on the reef was a small concrete platform that housed a communications facility, garrison building and pier. It now has been expanded into an area of about 100,000 square metres. Ongoing construction work at the reef includes likely radar towers, gun emplacements and a large multistory building with a footprint larger than 530 square metres. But the latest satellite image from DigitalGlobe did not show any sign of an airstrip, which the Philippines claimed China had started building in 2014. Ownership of Johnson South Reef has been disputed by both the Philippines and Vietnam.

Correction on May 15, 2015: In the original version, we incorrectly stated that China had yet to confirm it was building on Fiery Cross Reef. China indeed said in the past that it has been building on different reefs in the Spratly Islands region.

Troubled waters

Updated on April 22, 2015
First published on May 26, 2014

In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post, the Philippine President Benigno Aquino said that Vietnam approached his country to form a new “strategic partnership” to fend off China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea.

Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku Islands)

Okinawa US Naval Base

East China Sea

Administered by Japan

Naha

Japan

China

Taipei

Ryukyu Islands

Taiwan Strait

Taiwan

Defence budget (2014)

Guangzhou

Shantou

US$ billions

Hong Kong

Vietnam

Pratas Islands (China)

Doan Xa

Hanoi

Qiongzhou Strait

China’s “nine dash” claim line

The demarcation line adopted by the PRC and Taiwan to establish their claims for areas in the South China Sea

Laos

Luzon Strait

Gulf of Tonkin

China

Hainan

216.37

Yulin

Vientiane

Agreed

boundary

182 nautical miles

Baguio City

Da Nang

Paracel Islands

Thailand

Philippines

129 nautical miles

Philippines

Ly Son Island

3.28

Beijing deployed an oil rig to a disputed patch of the South China Sea on May 1, 2014

Scarborough Reef

Ragay Gulf

Manila

Vietnam

4.25

Vietnam claims the

Paracel and Spratly Islands

Cambodia

Samar Sea

Sibuyan Sea

Nha Trang

Tayabas Bay

Phnom

Penh

Visayan Sea

South China Sea

Iloilo

Leyte Gulf

Ho Chi Minh City

Cebu

Spratly Islands

Can Tho

Artificial island built by China in Johnson Reef

Surigao Strait

Puerto Princesa

Bohol Sea

Palawan

Cagayan de Oro

Sulu Sea

Gulf of Thailand

Zamboanga

Davao

Agreed

boundary

Kota Kinabalu

Davao Gulf

Sandakan

Malaysia

Bandar Seri Begawan

Kuala Terengganu

Natuna Islands

Malaysia

Brunei

Tawau

Indonesia

Kuantan

Celebes Sea

Okinawa US Naval Base

China

Shantou

Guangzhou

Taiwan

Hong Kong

Doan Xa

Hanoi

Yulin

Philippines

Paracel Islands

Da Nang

South China Sea

Manila

Vietnam

Spratly Islands

Puerto Princesa

Malaysia

Brunei

Malaysia

Natuna Islands

China

Taiwan

Shantou

Hong Kong

China’s “nine dash” claim line

The demarcation line adopted by the PRC and Taiwan to establish their claims for areas in the South China Sea

South China Sea

Paracel Islands

Manila

Scarborough Reef

Philippines

Artificial island built by China in Johnson Reef

Cebu

Puerto Princesa

Palawan

Spratly Islands

Malaysia

Kota Kinabalu

Shantou

China

Guangzhou

Hong Kong

South China Sea

Doan Xa

Hanoi

Hainan

Philippines

Yulin

Agreed

boundary

182 na. miles

Paracel Islands

Da Nang

Scarborough Reef

129 na. miles

Beijing deployed an oil rig to a disputed patch of the South China Sea on May 1, 2014

Vietnam claims the

Paracel and Spratly Islands

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City

Spratly Islands

Defence budget (2014)

US$ billions

China

216.37

Philippines

3.28

Vietnam

4.25

Continental shelf claims by:
Mainland China
Philippines
Vietnam
Malaysia
Brunei
Islands or reefs occupied by:
Mainland China
Philippines
Vietnam
Forces:
Military area command
Airforce command