International News

Antelope Reef Base - China

September 16 , 2026 15 hrs 0 min 45 0

China has completed the first phase of land reclamation and infrastructure development at Antelope Reef in the disputed Paracel Islands, South China Sea.
The reclaimed area spans nearly 6 km and includes a helicopter pad, 680-metre wharf, deep-water harbour and a possible 3-km runway.
China says the facilities are for weather forecasting and scientific research, while Vietnam claims the entire Paracel Islands; China has maintained de facto control since 1974.
The South China Sea is disputed by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan; the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal rejected China’s historic-rights claims beyond the maritime entitlements permitted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
More than 55% of India’s maritime trade passes through the South China Sea and Malacca Strait, making the development important for India’s maritime security.