China Builds 1500-Acre Artificial Island at Antelope Reef in South China Sea With Military-Grade Runway and Deep-Water Port

Satellite imagery dated August 11 provided to The War Zone by Vantor shows China has completed the first phase of construction at Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands, building a roughly 1,500-acre artificial island after dredgers worked the site for at least ten months before departing 12. The island runs about 3.7 miles long with a 680-meter quay fronting a deep-water harbor, where a China Coast Guard vessel was observed dockside 13. On the northwest side, grading for a runway estimated at up to 10,000 feet is roughly halfway complete with no concrete yet poured, alongside excavation matching the footprint of hangars built at other PLA island bases, per satellite analysis from the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative 1. Buildings including a helicopter pad had started construction in the southeast corner as of July 19 imagery 3. Chinese state media and a China Daily opinion piece have characterized the work as civilian and "modest," while China's defense ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment 23.