China’s most militarized fake island now has a farm and hospital, according to a Chinese report.
Fiery Cross Reef, located on the west side of the Spratly Islands, originally was a small underwater reef. The “reef,” now 3,000 meters long and 300 meters wide, houses a military-grade runway and harbor, along with other advanced defense systems.
Xinhua, a Chinese news outlet, reports about 500 livestock were recently moved to the “reef.” A 4,000-square-meter vegetable garden and fish pond complement the farm.
Fiery Cross’ new hospital will be finished this month. The facility will cover 160,000 square meters and feature the newest medical technology.
This year, the first tourists visited Fiery Cross Reef. The Chinese allowed two civil aircraft to land at Fiery Cross to test the runway. Only Chinese citizens with special approval are allowed to visit the new island.
It is suspected that China’s move to bring more civilians onto the island is a scapegoat for the aggressive militarization of the Fiery Cross Reef.
China, Taiwan and Vietnam each claim rights to the Spratly Islands.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter has condemned China’s militarization of the islands. “China’s actions [in the Spratly Islands] challenge fundamental principles, and we’re not going to look the other way,” he said.
“The United States does not take a position on the sovereignty of any of the land features in the South China Sea,” Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday. He reiterated the importance of the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
Kerry is in Beijing this week for the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue conference.
North of the Spratly Islands, China is advancing plans to create resort islands in the similarly contested Paracel Islands.
