Скачать или смотреть The super project in the South China Sea - the miracle of land reclamation in the Xisha Islands!

The largest man-made island in the South China Sea, which is more than five times the size of Japan, is only accessible by the Chinese. This island is located in the Nansha Islands, part of China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. While there are over 230 islands, reefs, and sandbars in the Nansha Islands, only six of them are natural islands larger than 0.1 square kilometers, and five of those have been occupied by Vietnam and the Philippines. China has reclaimed land to reverse this situation.

In comparison, the Xisha Islands have fewer islands and reefs, but the number and size of the large islands there are greater than in the Nansha Islands. The Xisha Islands consist of 22 islands and 7 sandbars. Additionally, the Xisha Islands have many large atolls, some of which are larger than those in the Nansha Islands. For example, Huaguang Reef in the Xisha Islands is 31 kilometers long from east to west and covers an area of 180 square kilometers, nearly three times the size of Baijiao Reef in the Nansha Islands. The superior conditions of the islands and reefs in the Xisha Islands make them suitable as a transit base for developing the Nansha Islands.

Sansha City, established on July 24, 2012, is the southernmost prefecture-level city in China. It encompasses more than 280 islands, sandbars, hidden reefs, and their surrounding sea areas. The city government is located on Yongxing Island in the Xisha District and has jurisdiction over the Xisha Islands, Zhongsha Islands, and Nansha Islands, as well as their sea areas. The land area of Sansha City is over 20 square kilometers, and the total land and sea area is about 2 million square kilometers.

Since the establishment of Sansha City, significant changes have occurred in the Xisha Islands. However, due to their proximity to mainland China and China's control over them, development in the Xisha Islands is not as urgent. Currently, the focus is on ecological protection, and major construction projects are concentrated on Yongxing Island, Chenhang Island, and Zhongjian Island.