Reports have emerged that China has completed the first phase of land reclamation to create a massive artificial island in the South China Sea, a region of competing sovereignty claims.

Citing commercial satellite images captured by satellite imagery provider Vantor, Reuters reported on the 19th local time that China is constructing an artificial island on Antelope Reef (known as Lingyang Reef in China) in the Paracel Islands (known as Xisha Islands in China and Hoang Sa Islands in Vietnam) of the South China Sea.

Reuters reported that China has finished the first phase of dredging and land reclamation work that has been underway for at least six months, and that barges and dredgers previously at the site have withdrawn.

The satellite images also revealed the overall outline of the reclaimed artificial island.

Reuters stated that the artificial island spans approximately 6 kilometers in length with a straight coastline exceeding 3 kilometers, noting that some experts believe an airstrip could potentially be built in this area.

The photos also captured a 680-meter-long pier built along a deep-water harbor, with a China Coast Guard vessel moored at the dock.

Reuters added that construction of buildings, including a helicopter landing pad, has also begun in the southeastern part of the artificial island.

While China has not publicly acknowledged constructing a new base on Antelope Reef, it has previously mentioned the existence of facilities for civilian purposes, such as weather forecasting and scientific research.

However, citing assessments from regional security experts and military officials, Reuters projected that the artificial island's construction could be aimed at strengthening military control in the northern part of the South China Sea, which would serve as a key area in the event of a conflict involving Taiwan.

Ben Lewis, founder of PLA Tracker, a website that tracks the movements of China's People's Liberation Army, noted that Antelope Reef is larger than Woody Island (known as Yongxing Island in China and Phu Cuong Island in Vietnam) and projected that it could become one of the key strongholds, easier to defend than the network of Chinese military bases in the Spratly Islands (known as Kalayaan Islands in the Philippines, Truong Sa Islands in Vietnam, and Nansha Islands in China).

Colin Koh, a security expert in Singapore, analyzed that Antelope Reef could also serve as a "fortress" within the South China Sea to protect China's strategic nuclear submarines.

He explained that extensive surveillance equipment could be installed on the island, potentially complicating operations for U.S. and Vietnamese submarines operating in the surrounding area.

China has exercised effective control over the entire Paracel archipelago since driving out South Vietnamese forces in 1974, but Vietnam also claims sovereignty over the entire area.

(Photo: Yonhap News)