From a temporary house, China has continuously renovated and expanded the area of illegal constructions, aiming to turn Gac Ma reef into a base to annex the East Sea.
Recently, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs released photos that they claimed “showed China in the process of reclamation and expansion” at Gac Ma Reef, part of Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago.
According to Philippine government estimates, China has reclaimed at least 30 hectares of land from this reef.
This is the latest and most serious illegal reclamation by China in many aspects at Gac Ma. However, long before, after using force to illegally occupy Gac Ma from Vietnam in 1988, China had repeatedly carried out illegal constructions here, aiming to strengthen military infrastructure, serving the goal of expansion in the East Sea.
Below are images of China's illegal construction activities at Gac Ma over many periods.
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| The first generation of elevated buildings that China built on Gac Ma (part of Vietnam's Truong Sa) not long after illegally occupying the reef in 1988. |
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| In 1989, China's illegal floating houses were more solid. |
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| A Chinese military facility being illegally built on Gac Ma Reef. Photo taken in 1991. |
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| Chinese floating houses on Gac Ma Island in 1992 |
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| Immediately after that, China continued to brazenly build the third generation of floating houses. Photo taken in 1995. |
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| Not stopping there, China has continuously renovated and built increasingly solid illegal structures on Gac Ma Reef in an attempt to realize its plot to monopolize the East Sea. In the photo is a panoramic view of the floating houses and watchtowers that China has brazenly built to this day. |
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| The second generation watchtower and floating house were almost abandoned. |
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| Another photo taken from above. Through this photo, we can clearly see the changes and expansion of China in Gac Ma reef over a long period of time. |
According to Soha.vn
