Washington: China’s hastily expanding campaign to reclaim land in the South China Sea for potential military use now totals 800 hectares, the US has said, stressing that the move to build artificial islands in the disputed area is inconsistent with the region’s desire for peace and stability.
“We currently assess that China has reclaimed approximately 2,000 acres (800 hectares) of land in the South China Sea,” a Department of Defence (DoD) official said.
“We do not believe that large-scale land reclamation is consistent with the region’s desire for peace and stability,” the official said.
The new estimate, disclosed for the first time, came as the Pentagon released its annual report of military and security developments involving China.
The report said that China engaged in extensive land reclamation efforts at five of its outposts in the Spratly Islands in 2014.