New structures have emerged on a small islet near Antelope Reef in the disputed South China Sea, fuelling speculation that China could be preparing another military-related facility in the strategically important waters.
Satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters shows construction on Yagong Island, located around 14km northeast of Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands. Security analysts have suggested the newly built three-pronged structure could eventually form part of an early warning radar facility, although its exact purpose remains unclear.
Commercial satellite imagery provider Vantor said its latest image was captured on Aug 17, while earlier imagery indicated that construction activity on Yagong Island began around March or April. The company said several structures resembled radar and early warning facilities found at other locations across the South China Sea.
The development comes shortly after reports that China had completed the first phase of construction at Antelope Reef. Satellite images showed an artificial island stretching nearly 6km, including a straight coastline of more than 3km which some analysts believe could potentially serve as a runway.
Yagong Island itself is considerably smaller but its location could give it strategic importance. Both Yagong and Antelope Reef are situated within the Crescent Group in the western Paracels, an area that has long been at the centre of territorial disputes and growing military activity.
Open-source intelligence analyst Damien Symon said a radar installation was one possible explanation for the construction, although he cautioned that it was still too early to determine its precise function. Singapore-based security scholar Collin Koh similarly suggested the facility could serve as an observation post, but believed a radar station was the more likely possibility.
China has not publicly confirmed that it is developing a new military base at Antelope Reef or Yagong Island. Chinese state media have instead said the facilities at Antelope Reef would support civilian activities, including weather forecasting, fisheries protection and scientific research.
The developments are being closely watched because the South China Sea is considered strategically important for regional security and global trade. Analysts and military officials in the region believe China’s expanding infrastructure could further strengthen its position in the northern section of the disputed waterway.
China has controlled the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its forces seized them from the navy of the former South Vietnam. Vietnam continues to claim the entire island group and has also expanded its own facilities in the Spratly Islands further south.
The wider Spratly Islands and surrounding waters are contested by several countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. The latest construction on Yagong Island is therefore likely to add further attention to the increasingly militarised South China Sea.
