By Zachary Keck
The new military airstrip is part of China’s ongoing effort to strengthen its ability to patrol the South China Sea.
China has completed the construction of a military airstrip on one of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, according to Chinese state-run media outlets.
On Wednesday AFP reported, citing an article from Xinhua News Agency, that China had finished the construction of a “newly built” runway on Woody (Yongxing) Island, a PRC-administered Paracel Island that is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.
AFP said the Xinhua article contained few details but did say the airstrip is 2,000 meters long and would be used by the People’s Liberation Army.
“With the completion and continued improvements to the runway on Yongxing, military aircraft can be based in the Paracels, and greatly improve Chinese defense capabilities” in the South China Sea, AFP quoted the Xinhua article as saying. It added that the article contained pictures of the airstrip.
Read the full story at The Diplomat