Vietnam Formally Protests China's Antelope Reef Build-Up in Paracel Islands

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang issued a rare formal protest on March 23 over China's large-scale construction at Antelope Reef (Lingyang Jiao) in the Paracel Islands — which Vietnam calls Hoang Sa and claims as sovereign territory. She declared any construction 'without Vietnam's permission is completely illegal and invalid.' Satellite imagery analyzed by CSIS's Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative showed China had reclaimed approximately 1,490 acres at Antelope Reef since October 2025, potentially making it larger than Mischief Reef in the Spratlys. Construction includes over 50 grey-roofed structures, a helipad, jetties, and foundations that may support a 9,000-foot airstrip. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian responded that the Paracels are 'an inherent part of China's territory and there is no dispute about it,' defending the construction as improving 'living conditions' for island residents.