New installations emerge on islet as China accelerates South China Sea build-up

New facilities have reportedly been discovered on Yagong Island, a small islet near Antelope Reef in the Paracels archipelago, according to satellite imagery. Analysts suggest that China may be constructing its largest military base in this region. The three-pronged construction on Yagong Island, which began in March and April, could potentially serve as an early warning radar facility to support future installations on Antelope Reef.

Vantor, a satellite image provider, captured the latest images on August 17, noting that construction started in earlier months. While the exact purpose of the structures remains unclear, "several buildings on Yagong Reef resemble other military radar/early warning facilities found elsewhere in the South China Sea and are likely related to the ultimate military functions of nearby Antelope Reef," a spokesperson for Vantor stated.

In recent weeks, China announced the completion of the initial phase of construction at Antelope Reef, underscoring the South China Sea as a growingly militarized location between China and the United States and its allies. This development could prove crucial in any future conflict over Taiwan. The Antelope Reef images revealed an artificial island extending nearly 6 kilometers, with a straight coastline exceeding 3 kilometers, potentially functioning as a runway.

The nearby Yagong Island, however, is significantly smaller, located 14 kilometers to the northeast. Both sites are situated within the Crescent Group in the western Paracels. The Chinese defense ministry has yet to comment on the matter. Beijing has not officially acknowledged the construction of a new military base, while state media have claimed that Antelope will cater to civilian requirements, such as weather forecasting, fisheries protection, and scientific research.

China has held control of the Paracels since 1974, following its seizure from the South Vietnamese navy. Vietnam, which claims the entire group, has recently been expanding its own network of bases in the Spratlys, located further south. The Spratlys and adjacent waters are also contested by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei.

Vietnam's foreign ministry has not yet provided a response to a request for comment. Regional security analysts and military attaches suggest that the construction of these features is more likely to strengthen China's military grip on the northern part of the crucial trade waterway. Damien Symon, an open-source intelligence tracker monitoring Paracels activity, acknowledged the possibility of a radar facility but emphasized that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions.

Collin Koh, a Singapore-based security scholar, suggested that the installation could be a standalone observation post given the limited scale, but he considered it "most likely a radar station, if I can make an educated guess."