Captain Eduardo Reyes has been fishing these waters for thirty years. Last month, he pulled up his nets near what his father used to call “the small reef,” only to find himself staring at a massive concrete harbor filled with military vessels. “It’s like someone dropped a city in the middle of the ocean,” he told his crew, shaking his head in disbelief.
The reef Eduardo remembers from his childhood—barely visible at high tide—now stretches across several square kilometers of artificial land. Runways slice through what used to be coral gardens. Radar towers pierce the horizon where seabirds once nested on rocky outcrops.
This isn’t science fiction. It’s the result of one of the most ambitious engineering projects in modern history, where China literally built new territory from the seafloor up.
The Great Sand Transformation
Between 2012 and 2024, China dumped an estimated 13 billion tonnes of sand and rock into the South China Sea islands region. To put that in perspective, that’s enough material to bury the entire state of Rhode Island under three feet of sand.
The process started innocently enough. Satellite images from 2013 showed tiny rings of disturbed water around existing reefs in the Spratly and Paracel island chains. But month by month, those rings grew thicker, more defined, eventually becoming solid landmasses with harbors, airstrips, and military installations.
“What we witnessed was unprecedented in scale and speed,” explains Dr. Sarah Chen, a maritime security expert who tracked the construction through satellite imagery. “Natural island formation takes thousands of years. China did it in less than a decade.”
The technique was surprisingly straightforward but massive in execution. Giant dredging ships—some longer than football fields—vacuumed sand from the ocean floor and pumped it directly onto partially submerged reefs and rocks. Layer by layer, these underwater features rose above the tide line and became permanent land.
The Numbers Behind the New Islands
The scale of China’s South China Sea islands project becomes clear when you look at the data:
| Island Name | Original Size | New Size | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiery Cross Reef | 0.8 sq km | 2.74 sq km | 3,000m airstrip, harbor |
| Subi Reef | 0.37 sq km | 3.95 sq km | Military facilities, runway |
| Mischief Reef | 0.55 sq km | 5.58 sq km | Large harbor, airfield |
| Johnson South Reef | 0.1 sq km | 1.09 sq km | Naval base, helipads |
The construction timeline was remarkably compressed:
- 2012-2014: Initial dredging operations begin on seven major sites
- 2014-2016: Peak construction period with round-the-clock dredging
- 2016-2018: Infrastructure development including runways and harbors
- 2018-2024: Military installations and defensive systems added
The environmental cost has been staggering. Marine biologists estimate that over 40,000 acres of coral reef were destroyed or buried during the construction process.
“We’re talking about ecosystems that took millennia to develop being wiped out in months,” warns Dr. James Liu, a coral reef specialist. “The biodiversity loss is essentially permanent on any human timescale.”
Who Feels the Impact
The creation of these South China Sea islands has ripple effects far beyond the construction sites themselves. Filipino fishermen report being turned away from traditional fishing grounds by Chinese coast guard vessels. Vietnamese oil exploration ships have been blocked from areas they’ve worked for decades.
The strategic implications are enormous. These artificial islands serve as unsinkable aircraft carriers, projecting Chinese military power across vital shipping lanes that carry $3.4 trillion worth of trade annually.
“Beijing has essentially militarized the South China Sea,” notes Admiral Michael Torres, a retired naval strategist. “These islands can host fighter jets, anti-ship missiles, and radar systems that monitor everything from Singapore to the Philippines.”
For neighboring countries, the message is unmistakable. What were once disputed reefs are now permanent Chinese military outposts complete with harbors deep enough for warships and runways long enough for bombers.
The Legal Gray Zone
Here’s where things get complicated. Under international maritime law, natural islands generate 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones. Artificial islands don’t—at least, they’re not supposed to.
But China argues these are “reclaimed” rather than artificial islands, built on existing reefs that were always Chinese territory. The distinction matters enormously for territorial claims and fishing rights.
The 2016 international tribunal ruling rejected China’s expansive claims, but Beijing ignored the verdict entirely. With concrete runways and radar installations now in place, the legal arguments seem increasingly academic.
Local communities bear the brunt of this uncertainty. Fishing families who’ve worked these waters for generations now navigate a maze of informal exclusion zones and military checkpoints.
“My grandfather fished here, my father fished here, and now I can’t even get close,” explains Maria Santos, whose family has operated boats from Palawan for four generations. “The sea doesn’t belong to anyone, but try telling that to a gunboat.”
What Happens Next
The South China Sea islands project appears to be entering a new phase focused on consolidation rather than expansion. Recent satellite images show ongoing construction of defensive installations rather than new land reclamation.
Regional tensions remain high, with US Navy freedom-of-navigation operations regularly challenging Chinese claims. The artificial islands have become permanent fixtures in what many experts consider a new Cold War flashpoint.
For ordinary people living around the South China Sea, the transformed seascape represents a fundamental shift in their world. Ancient navigation routes now lead to military installations. Traditional fishing grounds have become geopolitical chess pieces.
The ultimate question isn’t just about territorial disputes or military strategy—it’s about what happens when one nation decides to literally reshape the geography of international waters, one grain of sand at a time.
FAQs
How much sand did China use to build these islands?
China used approximately 13 billion tonnes of sand and rock over 12 years to create the artificial South China Sea islands.
Are these artificial islands legal under international law?
A 2016 international tribunal ruled that artificial islands cannot generate territorial claims, but China rejected this ruling and continues to treat them as sovereign territory.
How big are China’s artificial islands?
The largest artificial island, Mischief Reef, now covers 5.58 square kilometers, while Fiery Cross Reef spans 2.74 square kilometers with a 3,000-meter runway.
What happened to the coral reefs during construction?
Over 40,000 acres of coral reef were destroyed or buried during the island-building process, causing permanent damage to marine ecosystems.
Can other countries visit these islands?
China controls access to these islands and regularly turns away foreign vessels, including fishermen and military ships from neighboring countries.
How fast were these islands built?
The major construction phase lasted from 2014-2016, with some islands visibly expanding within weeks during peak dredging operations.
