China Appears to Be Building Airstrip on Disputed South China Sea Island

China Appears to Be Building Airstrip on Disputed South China Sea Island
A satellite photo shows Triton Island in the South China Sea on Aug. 15, 2023. Planet Labs PBC via AP
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BEIJING—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 analyzed by The Associated Press.

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.