Vietnam Protests China's New Construction in Disputed Islands

Vietnam has formally protested to China over new construction work in the disputed Paracel Islands. The complaint follows reports of fast-paced dredging and land-building by China at a feature called Antelope Reef. A Vietnamese foreign ministry spokeswoman, Pham Thu Hang, stated the country "resolutely opposes" the activities. She said Vietnam has provided official diplomatic complaints, called representations, to China. Hang asserted that Vietnam possesses "ample historical evidence and legal grounds" to claim sovereignty over the Paracels. The islands are known as the Hoang Sa archipelago in Vietnam. China controls the Paracels but Vietnam also claims them. The region in the South China Sea is a frequent source of diplomatic tension between the two neighbors. The latest work at Antelope Reef signals an escalation of China's build-up in the area. Land reclamation involves dredging sand from the seafloor to create new land, often for military installations.