evidence: In the summer of 2014, news sources reported China’s plan to expand its international influence by creating an artificial island within the Spratly Islands, a disputed archipelago of reefs, atolls, and islands located in the South China Sea. The Spratleys, although largely unexplored, are situated within a major shipping route and are suspected to contain a wealth of natural resources. Consequently, there is a significant territorial dispute over the islands, with claims by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Since 2014, China has managed to make major base developments, including establishing a fully functional airstrip in March of 2015. China’s announcement to construct an artificial island in this contentious area raises three key questions: [...] CHINA TODAY: SPRATLY ISLANDS AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA [...] There are two major archipelagos located in the South China Sea: the Parcel Islands and the Spratly Islands, where China’s artificial island is currently being built. The geopolitical implications – and legality – of this artificial expansion have raised concerns with the US. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea provides instructions regarding the types of activities nations are allowed to perform within their territorial waters.