Namyit Island, also known as Hongxiu Island, is a small coral island in the Spratly Islands, South China Sea. The third-largest on Tizard Bank, it is claimed by Vietnam, China, the Philippines, and Taiwan. (Sentinel Hub EO Browser/Wikimedia)
Vietnam has shown a major upgrade programme involving the development of artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago. Hanoi has been reclaiming vast expanses of land and developing its outpost in the disputed waters at a speedy pace, a satellite imagery report by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) has found on May 8.
Other activities reported by AMTI include the development of critical infrastructure in the Spratly Islands, including the development of 15 harbours. These new harbour facilities will be built on Grierson Reef, Petley Reef, South Reef and Landsdowne Reef. In its largest base, Barque Canada Reef, Vietnam is developing a Doppler VHF Omnidirectional Range (DVOR), a short-range radio device to assist navigation to a ground station. This is similar to China’s airstrips development.
In March 2025 alone, Vietnam reclaimed 534 acres of land, increasing the cumulative reclaimed land by Vietnam in the Spratly Islands to a whopping 2,771 acres. Notably, the destruction of reefs has also damaged around 4,120 acres, nearing the level of destruction caused by China before its latest expansion program at Antelope Reef as of early 2025.
The expansion highlights Vietnam’s objective to strengthen its presence in the South China Sea. The report concludes that it may be noted that the operational readiness aspect being focused on by Vietnam can prove more strategically significant to balance China’s presence in the disputed area. Regional observers warn that the pace of construction by both Vietnam and China risks further heightening tensions in one of the world’s most contested maritime zones.
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