Beijing appears to have made steady advances in the construction of port and other facilities in disputed waters in the South China Sea, according to photographs obtained by The Asahi Shimbun.

The aerial photos of the area were taken in October. The Philippines and Vietnam also lay claim to much of the potentially resource-rich Spratly archipelago.

One of the photos shows reclamation work at the Gaven Reefs, located 390 kilometers northwest of Palawan Island in the southern Philippines.

A port, some buildings and a heliport can be seen in the latest photo. Compared to images taken in July, reclamation there has progressed rapidly.

The photos also reveal advances in port facility construction at Cuarteron Reef, with many buildings there already completed. The reef is located 489 km west of Palawan Island.

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