China’s Next Military Move: Plans to Militarize Another Reef in South China Sea Revealed!

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Recent satellite images suggest that China may be planning to construct another military installation on a reef in the South China Sea, indicating ongoing land reclamation efforts.

In parallel, China has reportedly deployed hundreds of fishing vessels as part of a tactical exercise potentially aimed at future military confrontations involving Taiwan.

Antelope Reef, pinpointed at coordinates 16°27’45”N, 111°35’20”E within the Paracel Islands, lies 250 miles east of Hue, Vietnam, and roughly 175 miles southeast of the Sanya Naval Base on Hainan Island, China.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) reports that China already maintains military facilities on 20 islets within the Paracels, which were taken from Vietnam by Beijing in 1974. These include advanced bases such as the one on Woody Island.

Dredging activities on the eastern and southern peripheries of the reef’s lagoon began post-mid-October 2025. By January 2026, satellite imagery revealed significant developments including new structures and pathways for roll-on/roll-off docks, as per a recent Newsweek report. These modifications facilitate the import of heavy machinery needed for further dredging and reclamation projects.

Previously described by the AMTI as a mere sandbar with only a few structures, Antelope Reef could soon host a full-scale military base, complete with a helipad, radar facilities, and docking sites for naval and coast guard ships.

In addition, China has established seven military bases further south in the Spratly Islands, and controls the Scarborough Shoal, which it seized from the Philippines in 2012. It has constructed 3,200 acres of new land in the Spratlys.

Vietnam is also reported to be enhancing its infrastructure in the Spratly Islands.

Moreover, China recently tested a novel strategy by orchestrating the formation of two massive L-shaped “floating barriers” made up of hundreds of fishing boats, spanning 290 miles, late last year.

This maneuver was first detected by the geospatial firm ingeniSPACE, observing around 2,000 Chinese vessels assembling northeast of Taiwan from December 25 to 27.

This formation took place shortly before China declared a significant naval exercise surrounding Taiwan, known as Justice Mission-2025, aimed to intimidate Taiwan and simulate a naval blockade.

A similar event occurred from January 9 to 12, when approximately 1,400 Chinese fishing boats created a 200-mile-long barrier for over 30 hours, based on data from automatic identification systems.

These extensive and coordinated fishing vessel formations demonstrate a new tactical approach by Beijing to exert dominance over contentious maritime areas. These operations show a high level of organization, as these vessels paused their regular operations to form tightly packed, strategic formations.

These operations highlight how the Chinese military leverages civilian fleets through the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM).

A report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service released in May 2025 acknowledges the strategic role of the PAFMM in safeguarding China’s maritime claims.

According to some experts, the PAFMM is a critical element of China’s maritime force, even surpassing the navy and coast guard in terms of asserting China’s maritime claims, particularly in the South China Sea.

The report further notes that in peacetime, the PAFMM promotes Beijing’s territorial claims at sea, and in wartime, it would support military operations by performing reconnaissance, creating obstructions, and providing logistical support to other People’s Liberation Army forces.

In a potential conflict involving Taiwan, such barriers could severely disrupt shipping lanes, block ports, hinder naval and legitimate commercial movements, serve as decoys, and overwhelm opponents with numerous targets.