China says it drove away Dutch warship near disputed Paracel Islands  The Star

Vietnam has urged China to respect its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands in accordance with international law and Vietnam's established sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its maritime zones.

Satellite images reveal rapidly progressing construction on a reef in the Paracel Islands, raising questions about China's intentions to establish a new military base.

Hanoi has lodged a protest with Beijing over accelerated land-reclamation and dredging operations by China at Antelope Reef in the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.

Vietnam has reiterated its strong opposition to Taiwan's military exercises on Ba Binh Island in the Spratly Archipelago, stating that any foreign activities in the Spratly and Paracel Islands without its permission are illegal.

Chinese observers suggest that a new military base being established by Beijing in the contested Paracel Islands will likely have limited strategic value, even as the South China Sea remains a focal point of regional tensions.

Satellite images suggest China has begun dredging sand on Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands, a feature known as Xisha by China and Hoang Sa in Vietnam, following earlier reports of such activities.

China is reportedly reclaiming land on Antelope Reef in the disputed Paracel Islands, aiming to strengthen its military presence and control over the South China Sea, despite objections from neighboring countries and the United States.

Satellite images reportedly show significant changes in the Paracel Islands, indicating a new secret military project by Beijing in the South China Sea.

Beijing has defended its ongoing land-reclamation activities in the contested Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, asserting that the Xisha Islands are an inherent part of China and the construction aims to improve living conditions and boost the local economy.

China has significantly stepped up its land reclamation activities on a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, according to satellite images. One image, reportedly taken on Monday, suggested that the surface area of Antelope Reef, once a mostly submerged feature in the Paracel Islands, had expanded substantially. The picture, published on social media by Damien Symon, a researcher with global intelligence research network The Intel Lab, also showed more than 30 vessels, believed to be dredger...