China still building South China Sea islands, think tank says

China is expanding artificial islands in disputed South China Sea areas despite saying it stopped two years ago, according to a security think tank that released satellite images it said showed the land reclamation.

Beijing claims most of the sea and has been turning reefs in the Spratly and Paracel chains into islands, installing military aircraft and missile systems on them – an activity the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said was continuing.

“China’s own reclamation work did not end in mid-2015 with the completion of its artificial islands in the Spratlys. Beijing continues to reclaim land farther north, in the Paracel Islands,” the security think tank said on its website.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Regional Forum in Manila on Monday that Beijing completed its South China Sea reclamation activities two years ago.

“I also wanted to tell you that two years ago, China had already completed the reclamation. That is something I can tell you for sure,” Wang said, adding “it is not China” which was conducting ongoing reclamation activities.

The AMTI website on Wednesday posted satellite pictures that it said showed Wang’s statements were “false”.