The Spratly group of islands is a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. While claiming around 20 islands, Vietnam has been building up the mass on some islands while building infrastructure.
Both China and Vietnam are conducting dredging operations to expand and build military infrastructure on top of atolls in the Spratly group of islands. However, Vietnam is moving so fast in creating artificial land that the nation is breaking records for land reclamation. WSJ explains why Hanoi is fortifying while keeping close diplomatic ties with both the U.S. and Beijing.
The Wall Street Journal video has six chapters: Vietnam’s activity in the South China Sea, Location of islands and strategic importance, the Overlapping claims, the nation of China’s island build, Vietnam’s military preparations, and China’s response.
