Vietnam imitating China’s island-making in South China Sea

Vietnam has quietly ramped up its military presence in the South China Sea, matching China’s island-building tactics to assert its territorial claims in the hotly contested maritime area.

This month, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Vietnam has rapidly expanded its presence in the contested Spratly Islands, with high-resolution satellite imagery showing a tenfold increase in artificial land in the area over the last three years.

The WSJ report mentions that Vietnam’s expansion includes the construction of harbors, defensive trenches and potentially extended runways for military use. It notes that Vietnam’s actions mirror China’s, which previously built artificial islands equipped with observation towers, runways and other military infrastructure to assert dominance in the region.

WSJ notes that while China has aggressively enforced its claims against the Philippines, it has not yet responded to Vietnam’s activities.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) noted in June 2024 that since November 2023, Vietnam has added 692 new acres across ten features, bringing its total dredging and landfill in the South China Sea to approximately 2,360 acres – about half of China’s 4,650 acres. AMTI says this rapid expansion marks a significant shift from three years ago when Vietnam’s total was just 329 acres.

In a September 2024 Chatham House report, John Pollock and Damien Symon mention that while Vietnam has not officially commented on these developments, they suggest that Vietnam’s actions are driven by a need to reinforce its strategic position amid ongoing territorial disputes with China and other claimant states.

Pollock and Damien point out that Vietnam’s expanded outposts could host long-range military