Rapid Land Creation in the South China Sea
Vietnam has created 692 new acres of land in the South China Sea over the past six months, as revealed by satellite imagery showcasing Hanoi's intensified efforts to expand its outposts in the Spratly Islands.
Unprecedented Expansion Efforts
Vietnam's expansion in the Spratly Islands has significantly accelerated, with almost as much new land created in the last six months as in the previous two years combined. This rapid pace sets Hanoi on track for a record year of island building in 2024.
Recent Developments
Since AMTI's last update in November 2023, Vietnam has developed 692 new acres of land across 10 features. This compares to 404 acres created in the first 11 months of 2023 and 342 acres in 2022. In total, Vietnam's dredging and landfill activities in the disputed areas of the South China Sea now cover approximately 2,360 acres—about half of China's 4,650 acres. This marks a significant change from three years ago, when Vietnam's total dredging and landfill efforts amounted to just 329 acres, less than one-tenth of China's total.
Strategic Outpost Expansion
The scale of Vietnam's activities is evident when examining the largest outposts in the Spratly Islands by land area. While China’s "big three" outposts—Mischief, Subi, and Fiery Cross reefs—remain the largest, the next four largest outposts are all newly expanded Vietnamese reefs
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