China's Rejection of Vietnam's Activities in the Spratly Islands

In a recent press briefing in Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson reiterated China's claim that the Spratly Islands, also known as Nansha Qundao, have always been an inherent part of Chinese territory. The spokesperson specifically mentioned that segments of the Spratlys, including Bai Jiao, fall under China’s jurisdiction and criticized any construction on islands and reefs that are considered to have been occupied illegally.

The ongoing contention centers around the Spratly Islands—a group of over 100 small islands and reefs in the South China Sea—with Vietnam actively reclaiming land and enhancing its infrastructure there. Vietnamese efforts include large-scale projects such as the construction of a 3,000-meter airstrip on Barque Canada Reef, a feature which Vietnam first claimed in 1987 and has been expanding significantly since 2021, reaching nearly 250 hectares by October 2024.

Further reports indicate that Vietnam has generated an unprecedented amount of new land—280 hectares—across ten out of the 27 features it occupies in the region between November 2023 and June 2024, highlighting the accelerated pace of its development program. Meanwhile, China, which had earlier built and militarized its own artificial islands such as Fiery Cross, Mischief, and Subi reefs, took an uncharacteristic step in publicly voicing dissent about Vietnam’s recent activities.

The Vietnamese government maintains that its reclamation projects aim to safeguard its claims and provide necessary shelter for fishermen during typhoons, while the subdued response from Hanoi contrasts with the formal protest now issued by Beijing. Observers note that China’s renewed protest might be influenced by broader geopolitical dynamics, particularly Beijing's reservations regarding Vietnam's increasingly pro-Western policy orientations.