article_snippet.sent: The area near the Spratly Islands (pictured) where China is constructing artificial islands is claimed by many other countries in the region .
article_snippet.sent: Disputed: China has built the airstrip (pictured) on Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands without consulting the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan who all claim the region . '
article_snippet.sent: China claims most of the potentially energy-rich South China .
article_snippet.sent: the South China Sea, disputed in parts with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, .
article_snippet.sent: Brunei and Taiwan, and denies accusations China actions in China own .
article_snippet.sent: China's Foreign Ministry spokesman said China has 'indisputable rights' to the Spratly Islands (pictured) and China was 'protecting China nation's sovereignty' China China claims the work is necessary to safeguard China sovereignty which the work asserts over most of the South China Sea .
article_snippet.sent: The dispute centres around hundreds of tiny shoals, reefs and islets in the South China Sea known as the Spratlys and the Paracels.
article_snippet.sent: Several south Asian countries stake claim to the contested territory in the South China Sea, though China tries to control the largest portion of the archipelago.
article_snippet.sent: China has claimed China right to the collection of land masses is 2,000 years old which, they say, includes the islands in Chinese history.
article_snippet.sent: China supports China claim, and has China own airfield on the island of Taiping.
article_snippet.sent: Vietnamese officials say Vietnamese officials government has ruled over the land since the 17th century whilst the Philippines, the closest geographically, says the islands in Chinese history belong to Vietnamese officials.
article_snippet.sent: In 2012 China and The Philippines were embroiled in a lengthy maritime standoff over a Scarborough Shoal.
article_snippet.sent: Later, Vietnamese border agencies refused to stamp passports asserting Chinese sovereignty over a handful of the islands in Chinese history and in January the islands in Chinese history was claimed China would be taken to a UN tribunal to challenge China stake.