Posted on July 6, 2026
By Romário Pereira de Carvalho
Next, the infrastructure began to be built. Concrete structures, runways, ports, and hangars were constructed, transforming the reefs into operational bases.
The result was the creation of artificial islands that not only changed the local geography, but also the strategic dynamics of the region.
Impact on the region
The construction of these artificial islands has generated tensions with neighboring countries that also claim parts of the South China Sea, such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Furthermore, China’s expanded military presence in the region is viewed with concern by other powers, such as the United States, which defend freedom of navigation in international waters.
The artificial islands serve as outposts, allowing China to project power and conduct surveillance operations along one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
This transformation of the South China Sea into a strategic point of control and surveillance is one of the most significant geopolitical developments in recent years.
With the base formed, engineers installed foundations, piles, piers, buildings, internal roads, radars, helipads, and runways. The result was the conversion of maritime formations into fortified outposts.
One of the most cited examples is the Fiery Cross Reef, known in China as Yongshu and in Vietnam as Đá Chữ Thập. Previously, the formation appeared as a narrow strip of reef.
Starting in 2014, dredgers began to suck sand from the seabed and deposit it on the coral. In a few years, the site became home to an artificial island of about 270 hectares.
