--- description: China is building a runway capable of handling military aircraft in disputed territory in the South China Sea, according to a recent satellite image released Thursday title: China Building Runway in Disputed South China Sea Islands image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf4ba1cb98608e19a/6987eba83c1639cfde4558f2/china-building-aircraft-runway.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # China Building Runway in Disputed South China Sea Islands by [Alex Rogers](/author/alex-rogers/) ## Alex Rogers Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 17, 2015 5:19 PM CUT  Airstrip construction on Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea, seen in a satellite image taken on April 2, 2015. Airstrip construction on Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea, seen in a satellite image taken on April 2, 2015.Reuters by [Alex Rogers](/author/alex-rogers/) ## Alex Rogers Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 17, 2015 5:19 PM CUT China is building a runway capable of handling military aircraft in disputed territory in the South China Sea, according to a [recent satellite image](http://www.janes.com/article/50714/china-s-first-runway-in-spratlys-under-construction "undefined") released Thursday. The runway on a reef in the Spratly Islands, an archipelago also claimed in part by Vietnam and the Philippines, could stretch to nearly 10,000 feet and expand China’s influence in a region where at least six countries have overlapping claims. U.S. officials have expressed growing concern over China using reefs to build artificial islands and expand its military presence in the area. China has acknowledged that the islands will serve both civilian and military purposes, according to the [New York _Times_](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/17/world/asia/china-building-airstrip-in-disputed-spratly-islands-satellite-images-show.html?ref=asia&%5Fr=0 "undefined"). President Obama [said](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/10/obama-says-china-bullying-smaller-nations-in-south-china-sea-row "undefined") last week that he had concerns of China using “its sheer size and muscle to force countries into subordinate positions.” “We think this can be solved diplomatically, but just because the Philippines or Vietnam are not as large as China doesn’t mean that they can just be elbowed aside,” added Obama.  Satellite images detail China's construction activity on Fiery Cross Reef. EPA Construction on the runway appears to have begun in the past few months. _Read next:_ [_Veteran Chinese Journalist Gao Yu Sentenced to 7 Years_](http://time.com/3826215/china-beijing-communist-party-journalist-gao-yu/?iid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") ### See the Real Side of China's Great Wall  A road builder raises a red flag on a hillside in Jinchuan Valley, Gansu Province, China. Fan Shi San  The Great Wall is split by national highway in Yanchi, Ningxia Province, northwestern China. Fan Shi San  Jinta, Gansu Province, China. Fan Shi San  Gaotai, Gansu Province, China. Fan Shi San  A Great Wall replica with political slogans in Suoyang, Gansu Province, China. Fan Shi San  An abandoned theater in Polubao, Shanxi Province, China. Fan Shi San  Jiuquan, Gansu Province, China. Fan Shi San  Changyukou, Hebei Province, China. Fan Shi San  A factory complex between Ningxia and Gansu Province, China. Fan Shi San  A gravesite near Sanguankou Great Wall in Ningxia Province, China. 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Fan Shi San  Shanhaiguan, Hebei Province, China Fan Shi San [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/autoplay/?xid=spl-fullbrief-article "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3826713/china-building-airstrip-disputed-south-china-sea-islands/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3826713/china-building-airstrip-disputed-south-china-sea-islands/"},"headline":"China Building Runway in Disputed South China Sea Islands","datePublished":"2015-04-17T17:19:17.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:04:31.514Z","description":"The runway could increase China's influence in the region","url":"https://time.com/3826713/china-building-airstrip-disputed-south-china-sea-islands/","keywords":["China"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf4ba1cb98608e19a/6987eba83c1639cfde4558f2/china-building-aircraft-runway.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alex Rogers","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alex-rogers/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf4ba1cb98608e19a/6987eba83c1639cfde4558f2/china-building-aircraft-runway.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Satellite image of an arstrip construction on Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea","caption":"Airstrip construction on Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea, seen in a satellite image taken on April 2, 2015.","creditText":"Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3826713/china-building-airstrip-disputed-south-china-sea-islands/","name":"China Building Runway in Disputed South China Sea Islands"}}]}] ```