Two large fields on the island sport a star from the Chinese flag and a hammer and sickle representing the ruling Communist Party.Ĭhina has refused to provide details of its island construction work other than to say it is aimed at helping global navigation safety. Triton was the focus of one of those missions in 2018.Ĭhina has had a small harbour and buildings on the island for years, along with a helipad and radar arrays. takes no stance on the sovereignty claims, but regularly sends Navy ships on "freedom of navigation operations" near the Chinese-held islands. Triton is one of the major islands in the Paracel group, which is roughly equidistant from the coast of Vietnam and China's island province of Hainan. The runway, as currently laid out, would be more than 600 metres (2,000 feet) in length, long enough to accommodate turboprop aircraft and drones, but not fighter jets or bombers.Īlso visible are large numbers of vehicle tracks running across much of the island, along with what appear to be containers and construction equipment. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analysed by the AP show construction on the airstrip first visible in early August. The work on Triton island in the Paracel group mirrors construction on seven human-made islands in the Spratly group to the east which have been equipped with airstrips, docks and military systems, although it currently appears to be somewhat more modest in scale.Ĭhina claims virtually the entire South China Sea as its own, denying the claims of others and defying an international ruling invalidating its assertion. If you're on Telegram, subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on top stories.China appears to be constructing an airstrip on a disputed South China Sea island that is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, according to satellite photos analysed by The Associated Press.
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