China has condemned Vietnam’s efforts to build up artificial islands in the South China Sea—even though it initiated the practice during the 2010s.
It is unclear whether Mark Twain, Will Rogers, or some forgotten orator first quipped, “Buy land: they’re not making it anymore.” Regardless of the source, the sentiment has never been entirely accurate. Land reclamation has been a practice since time immemorial, when Egyptian agricultural planners created new farmland along the Nile River. Humans have been reclaiming land for thousands of years, primarily near the shore, by making land from the sea and rivers.
In the past few decades, however, entire new islands have been created in an attempt to move territorial boundaries. If a future war is fought in the western Pacific, any “island hopping campaign” will accordingly have additional islands to hop to.
Everyone’s Building Islands in the South China Sea
China began its “Great War of Sand” project in 2013, creating large-scale artificial islands in the South China Sea. That effort built on minor reclamation that started in the late 1980s, when Beijing established a marine observation station on Fiery Cross Reef and gradually expanded the facilities.
Just a decade ago, China had created nearly 3,200 acres of new land in the Spratly Islands—including military outposts with runways, ports, and facilities to house troops. This move was clearly intended to reinforce Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea.
However, China is not alone in dredging up sand to create artificial islands. New satellite images have revealed that Vietnam may be on track to surpass China, according to a recently released report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI). Earlier this year, Hanoi intensified its island-building efforts, which began in 2021.
“Recent satellite imagery shows that Vietnam has undertaken dredging and landfill work at Alison Reef, Collins Reef, East Reef, Landsdowne Reef, and Petley Reef, all of which had previously housed only small concrete pillbox structures,” AMIT explained.
Vietnam Is Engaged in a Massive Land Reclamation Effort
In only four years, Vietnam has transformed from having 11 small reclaimed islands with little more than a pillbox to having 21 reasonably sized islands with buildings and other facilities. These efforts have not yet reached the scale of the military bases that China has built on its artificial islands, but the efforts continue. Vietnam has nearly 70 percent as much reclaimed land in the Spratly Island chain as China—and it could surpass Beijing’s effort in short order.
“The location of these new structures and the munitions depots seems to preclude the possibility of full-length runways being built on some of the longer features like Ladd, Pearson, Tennent, or South Reef, as many had speculated,” the report from ATMI revealed.
As Newsweek reported, there is one “runway known to be under construction is on Barque Canada Reef, a narrow, 18-mile-long atoll in the southern part of the Spratlys.”
Is Turnabout Fair Play? Not According to China…
Although Beijing has vehemently insisted that its own island construction is justified under international law, it has been quick to condemn Hanoi’s efforts to do the same.
“China firmly opposes the relevant country’s construction activities on islands and reefs they have illegally occupied,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing in Beijing earlier this week, according to a report from the South China Morning Post. “We will do what is necessary to safeguard our own territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”
In addition to China and Vietnam, the nations of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan maintain competing claims over the mineral-rich waters of the South China Sea. The region is also one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, serving as a vital artery for international trade. Upwards of 64 percent of total goods traveled through the waters.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock / Tatiana Diuvbanova.
