While the world’s leaders have been focused on events in the Persian Gulf, China has effectively annexed territory in the South China Sea by constructing an artificial island 400 km from Vietnam, according to Forbes.
It is known that Chinese dredgers worked at an astonishing speed, transforming Antelope Reef into dry land. According to media reports, Beijing is waging a “legal war” and rehearsing military operations in full view of the world.
According to available data, Vietnam’s first strong protest came only in March 2026—more than five months after dredging operations began.
China is attempting to legalize the seizure through its own interpretation of maritime law, which Forbes calls illegal. It is noted that, according to the UN Convention, the status of a feature is determined by its condition prior to reclamation, so the construction does not automatically grant China rights to the surrounding resources.
Satellite images have revealed more than 50 structures and a runway approximately 2,700 meters long at the new facility. According to experts, this would give China a significant advantage in the event of a conflict over Taiwan. Beijing has traditionally rejected such accusations.
“The necessary construction on our own territory is aimed at improving living and working conditions on the islands and developing the local economy,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated on March 23.
It is also noted that the new base is located just 300 kilometers from a Chinese submarine base, which could allow the Chinese to more effectively block U.S. reconnaissance operations.
The source recalled that such activities were already ruled illegal by an international arbitration tribunal in 2016. However, Beijing called that decision “a scrap of paper.”
