Reclaiming the South China Sea: Antelope Reef and the Endless Land‑Reclamation


Antelope Reef, a teardrop‑shaped patch of sea in the north‑west corner of the South China Sea, was almost entirely underwater until this year. Within six months, millions of tonnes of sand have been dredged from the seabed to build a 6‑square‑kilometre crescent of gleaming white sand that now hosts a handful of structures.



Satellite image of Antelope Reef showing its new white sand crescent and scattered buildings.
A satellite view of Antelope Reef after its rapid land‑building.


China’s fleet of cutter‑suction dredgers—capable of scooping 6,000 cubic metres per hour, enough to fill two Olympic pools—filled the lagoon in days, surging ahead of any other claimant’s pace. The goal: build islands large enough to host airstrips and military bases.


A Dredging War


Antelope Reef sits in the Paracel Islands, a group contested by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. China seized the group in 1974, and since then it has built 3 reefs in the Spratly Islands—Mischief, Fiery Cross and Subi—into artificial islands that support airports and naval facilities. In the nine‑dash line, Chinese coastguard and maritime militia ships sweep the waters, denying other claimants the chance to contest.
Related story: ‘Close enough to see their faces’: Chased down by China in South China Sea


Unlike Vietnam’s restrained protest, the Vietnamese government has used the same dredging technology to reshape at least 20 reefs, creating 11 new harbours that cover 11 square kilometres—about half the area China has reclaimed. Vietnamese officials now erect military‑grade infrastructure like navigation beacons, signalling a strategic pivot: “If you can’t beat them, join them.”


The Wider Geopolitical Countdown


For three decades, ASEAN has glided over a weak, non‑binding code of conduct that China largely ignores. Meanwhile, the Philippines filed case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague after China’s claims were struck down in 2016. The court’s ruling dissolved China’s nine‑dash line and affirmed the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone rights, yet Beijing nevertheless expands its landcapped claims.


In response, the Philippines has strengthened ties with the United States, Japan and Australia. US Freedom of Navigation Operations repeatedly cruise the Strait, underscoring that South China Sea routes remain open, though they have had limited impact on the power balance.



Philippine Marine speedboat patrols off the coast of Manila‑ruled Thitu Island as a China Coast Guard vessel approaches.
Tense encounters between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea.


With the code of conduct still a distant goal, each claimant is racing to solidify its own islands and maintain sovereignty over critical maritime corridors. Where once a productive dialogue might have existed, the new landscape is one of “every country for itself” and China’s assertive boldness shapes the maritime future.


Graphics by Arvin Supriyadi and Aghnia Adzkia.