According to Reuters, China has completed the first phase of construction on the Antelope Reef in the disputed Paracel Islands, creating an artificial island nearly six kilometers long in the South China Sea.

Satellite images show that construction on buildings and a helicopter, alongside a 680-meter pier and a harbor in deep waters, has begun. A straight shoreline more than three kilometers long could potentially accommodate a runway, and dredging is underway.

China has not confirmed plans to establish a military base and says the development supports civilian objectives.

Analysts believe that the Antelope Reef could become one of China’s most important military bases in the South China Sea, especially given its strategic location in a potential conflict involving Taiwan.