article_snippet.sent: The war of words come as newly-released satellite images reveal a flotilla of Chinese vessels dredging sand onto artificially-built land masses near the Spratly Islands - an area which many other nations claim.
article_snippet.sent: But newer images (pictured in March) show Chinese vessels dredging sand onto artificially-built land masses near the Spratly Islands .
article_snippet.sent: The US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has has been picturing and documenting the construction of an artificial island known as Mischief Reef in the South China Sea.
article_snippet.sent: Massive expanses of sand and concrete were being unloaded among the Spratly Islands in the disputed waters.
article_snippet.sent: China used dredging vessels to dig up sediment from the South China Sea before dumping the South China Sea on submerged coral reefs to make islands, Ethan Rosen, a geopolitical researcher in China claimed.
article_snippet.sent: Before-and-after images from the area show aircraft runways appearing from jungle, solid masses where there was once coral and man-made harbours replacing natural reefs.
article_snippet.sent: The US Navy initially claimed China was creating a 'great wall of sand' (pictured in February 2014) in the South China Sea .
article_snippet.sent: Late last month, The US Navy reported the latest land mass China had built was 1.5 square miles in size and created by dumping sand on live coral reefs, possibly damaging local ecosystems.
article_snippet.sent: Analysts claim the images circulated by CSIS reveal that China is trying to create 'facts in the water' to bolster China territorial claim.
article_snippet.sent: Admiral Harry Harris Jr added: 'China is building artificial land by pumping sand on to live coral reefs - some of them submerged - and paving over them with concrete.'
article_snippet.sent: Admiral Harry Harris Jr said the region is known for the region beautiful natural islands but 'China is creating a great wall of sand with dredges and bulldozers over the course of months'.
article_snippet.sent: Upon boarding a Chinese military vessel for inspection, officials claimed officials found live sharks, clams and illegal reef.