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The request follows reports of extensive Chinese construction activities on Antelope Reef and a nearby islet.
A satellite image taken in August 2026 shows what appears to be the start of a new runway on China-occupied Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands.
Vietnam’s government on Friday expressed its opposition to “illegal” reclamation and construction activities in the Paracel Islands, after reports emerged of fresh Chinese construction activities in the contested South China Sea archipelago.
On August 14, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) reported that China had completed land reclamation at Antelope Reef in the Paracels, and appeared to be working on new infrastructure on the island.
