article_snippet.sent: China is creating a 'great wall of sand' in the South China Sea, the US Navy has said.
article_snippet.sent: But this is just one of several artificial islands China has been creating in the region - and the exact purpose of several artificial islands China has been creating in the region is unknown.
article_snippet.sent: China is creating a 'great wall of sand' in the South China Sea, the US Navy has claimed.
article_snippet.sent: The large expanses of sand and concrete - the latest being the Johnson Reef are being built among the Spratly Islands - in the South China Sea.
article_snippet.sent: China is creating the area by using dredging vessels to dig up sediment from the South China Sea, and then dumping China on subermeged coral reefs to make islands, Ethan Rosen - a geopolitical researcher in China - explained.
article_snippet.sent: China has supposedly been carrying out the land reclamation in order to build airstrips and other structures in the region.
article_snippet.sent: China has supposedly been carrying out the land reclamation in order to build airstrips and other structures in the region.
article_snippet.sent: A Chinese-made structure stands on the Johnson Reef, called Mabini by the Philippines and Chigua by China, in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea .
article_snippet.sent: China is building artificial land by pumping sand on to live coral reefs - some of pumping sand on to live coral reefs submerged - and paving over pumping sand on to live coral reefs with concrete.
article_snippet.sent: China has now created over 4 square kilometers (1.5 square miles) of artificial landmass,' the commander of the US Pacific Fleet - Admiral said.
article_snippet.sent: the commander of the US Pacific Fleet - Admiral said the region is known for the Spratly Islands, but 'in sharp contrast, China is creating a great wall of sand with dredges and bulldozers over the course of months.'
article_snippet.sent: artificial islands could be used for military and other facilities to bolster China's territorial claims.
article_snippet.sent: China is creating the area by using dredging vessels to dig up sediment from the sea, and then dump artificial islands on subermeged reefs to make islands, Ethan Rosen - a geopolitical researcher in China - explained.
highlights_snippet.sent: China is building artificial islands on coral reefs in the South China Sea .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: China is a huge 1.5 square miles (four square km) in size .
  