Advance of the 'Great Wall of Sand': New aerial photographs show incredible scale of construction on man-made islands in disputed area of South China

The Philippine army has released new photographs of Chinese construction work in disputed waters in the South China Sea as it launched giant war games with the United States involving 11,500 personnel that were partly aimed at warning China.

The Philippines voiced alarm about Chinese ‘aggressiveness’ in the area as it launched the Balikatan 2015 joint Philippines and US military exercises.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino is set to ask Southeast Asian leaders to issue a collective statement denouncing the reclamation activities. He said recently that China’s actions in the region could lead to military conflict.

The aerial images show intense recent Chinese construction over seven reefs and shoals in the Spratly archipelago of the flashpoint South China Sea.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3046619/Philippines-seeks-Southeast-Asian-unity-denouncing-China-reclamation.html#ixzz3Y5z7UcKw
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Institute for Maritime and Ocean Affairs

www.imoa.ph

Advance of the ‘Great Wall of Sand’: New aerial photographs show incredible scale of construction on man-made islands in disputed area of South China