Chinese astronauts, from left, Tang Hongbo, Nie Haisheng, and Liu Boming salute as they prepare to board for liftoff at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China plans on Thursday to launch three astronauts onboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship ...

Chinese astronauts, from left, Tang Hongbo, Nie Haisheng, and Liu Boming wave as they prepare to board for liftoff at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China plans on Thursday to launch three astronauts onboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship wh...

A woman wearing a face mask is silhouetted as she walks by a TV screen showing CCTV live telecast of the Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, at a shopping mall in Beijing, Thursday, June 17, 2021....

Chinese astronauts, from left, Tang Hongbo, Liu Boming, and Nie Haisheng wave as they prepare to board for liftoff at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China plans on Thursday to launch three astronauts onboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship wh...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

Ignition engulfs the launch pad as a Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space stat...

Chinese astronauts, from left, Liu Boming, Nie Haisheng, and Tang Hongbo wave as they prepare to board for liftoff at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China plans on Thursday to launch three astronauts onboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship wh...

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a worker monitors screens showing the interior of the Tianhe space station module after Chinese astronauts docked and enter it are displayed on large screens at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, on Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launch...

A man is silhouetted as she walks by a TV screen showing CCTV live telecast of the Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, at a shopping mall in Beijing, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China launched the fi...

Chinese astronauts, from left, Tang Hongbo, Liu Boming, and Nie Haisheng wave as they prepare to board for liftoff at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China plans on Thursday to launch three astronauts onboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship wh...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

Chinese astronauts wave as they prepare to board for liftoff at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China plans on Thursday to launch three astronauts onboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship who will be the first crew members to live on China's ne...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China launched the first three crew members on a mission to its new space station Thursday in its fi...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China launched the first three crew members on a mission to its new space station Thursday in its fi...

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese astronauts salute after successfully entering the Tianhe space station module as they are displayed on a big screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, on Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

Officials stand on the tarmac ahead of the liftoff at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs first crewed mission in five years. (AP Photo/Ng Han...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

Chinese astronauts, from left, Tang Hongbo, Nie Haisheng, and Liu Boming wave as they prepare to board for liftoff at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China plans on Thursday to launch three astronauts onboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship wh...

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying a crew of Chinese astronauts in a Shenzhou-12 spaceship lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Thursday, June 17, 2021. China has launched the first three-man crew to its new space station in its the ambitious programs f...

Police officers escort Cheung Kim-hung, right, CEO and Executive Director of Next Digital Ltd at Apple Daily headquarters in Hong Kong, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police on Thursday morning arrested the chief editor and four other senior executives of Apple Daily under the national security ...

Police take away boxes of documents at the Apple Daily headquarters in Hong Kong, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police on Thursday morning arrested the chief editor and four other senior executives of Apple Daily under the national security law on suspicion of collusion with a foreign country t...

Ryan Law, second from right, Apple Daily's chief editor, is arrested by police officers in Hong Kong Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police on Thursday morning arrested the chief editor and four other senior executives of Apple Daily under the national security law on suspicion of collusion with ...

Police officer stands guard outside Apple Daily headquarters in Hong Kong, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police on Thursday morning arrested the chief editor and four other senior executives of Apple Daily under the national security law on suspicion of collusion with a foreign country to endan...

Police officers escort Ryan Law, Apple Daily's chief editor, at the Apple Daily headquarters in Hong Kong, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police on Thursday morning arrested the chief editor and four other senior executives of Apple Daily under the national security law on suspicion of collusion...

Police officers escort Ryan Law, Apple Daily's chief editor, at Apple Daily headquarters in Hong Kong, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police on Thursday morning arrested the chief editor and four other senior executives of Apple Daily under the national security law on suspicion of collusion wit...

Police officers escort Cheung Kim-hung, right, CEO and Executive Director of Next Digital Ltd at Apple Daily headquarters in Hong Kong, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police on Thursday morning arrested the chief editor and four other senior executives of Apple Daily under the national security ...

FILE - In this April 18, 2020, file photo, Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, center, who founded local newspaper Apple Daily, is arrested by police officers at his home in Hong Kong. Hong Kong police on Thursday, June 17, 2021, arrested the chief editor and four other senior executives of Apple Dail...

The office of Chan Pui-man, deputy editor at the Apple Daily newspaper, is seen at the Apple Daily headquarters in Hong Kong, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police used a sweeping national security law against a pro-democracy newspaper for the first time Thursday, arresting five editors and exec...

Hong Kong Secretary for Security John Lee listens to questions during a press conference in Hong Kong, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police used a sweeping national security law against the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper for the first time Thursday, arresting five editors and executives ov...

Copies of Apple Daily newspaper are packed at the printing house in Hong Kong, early Friday, June 18, 2021. Five editors and executives at pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper were arrested Thursday under Hong Kong's national security law, its stock was halted and police were searching its offices in...

Workers check the copies of Apple Daily newspaper at the printing house in Hong Kong, early Friday, June 18, 2021. Five editors and executives at pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper were arrested Thursday under Hong Kong's national security law, its stock was halted and police were searching its off...

Police officers gather at the lobby of headquarters of Apple Daily in Hong Kong Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hong Kong police on Thursday morning arrested the chief editor and four other senior executives of Apple Daily under the national security law on suspicion of collusion with a foreign country to ...

Police officers stand guard outside Apple Daily headquarters as Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who founded local newspaper Apple Daily, is arrested by police at his home in Hong Kong on Aug. 10, 2020. The Apple Daily editors and executives were detained Thursday, June 17, 2021, under a national s...

The body of a young man is covered with an emergency blanket after being recovered by Spanish police from waters near the border between Morocco and Spain's north African enclave of Ceuta, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo)

Migrants arrive at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, near the border of Morocco and Spain, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo)

Migrants who recently crossed the Spain Morocco border, cross into the Ceuta commercial port, Spain, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. The group explained to The Associated Press their goal to reach the European ports of Malaga or Algeciras after hiding inside a commercial boat. (AP Photo)

Ceuta residents and migrants perform a funeral prayer on a Moroccan teenager in the muslim cemetery at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Saturday, May 22, 2021. The young man died on Monday trying to swim across the border from Morocco to Spain's North Africa enclave with thousands of other migrants. (A...

Migrants are surrounded by Spanish police near the border of Morocco and Spain, at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

Spanish Army soldiers expel a migrant from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

Migrants take shelter inside an abandoned building in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Friday, May 21, 2021. (AP Photo)

A guardsman waits for migrants to arrive at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, near the border of Morocco and Spain, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo)

Children who crossed into Spain wait inside a temporary shelter for unaccompanied minors in the enclave of Ceuta, next to the border of Morocco and Spain, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo)

An unaccompanied minor who crossed into Spain hides atop of a rooftop in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, next the border between Spain and Morocco, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo)

A migrant who crossed into Spain on Monday, in the enclave of Ceuta, next to the border of Morocco and Spain, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo)

A migrant is assisted by soldiers of the Spanish Army near the border of Morocco and Spain, at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

People cross a forest in the border town of Fnideq in northern Morocco on their way to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

A boy prays before taking a swim in the Moroccan northern town of Fnideq, near the border of Morocco and Spain, at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

Two minors sleep inside a warehouse turned into a makeshift center for migrant minors at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, at the border of Morocco and Spain, early Wednesday, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo)

Spanish citizens gather during a protest against the arrival of migrants at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, near the border of Morocco and Spain, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

Spanish security forces expel migrants from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, at the border of Morocco and Spain, late Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Spain deployed its military to the Moroccan border Tuesday as thousands of migrants jumped fences or swam onto European soil for the second day in a row after Rab...

Unaccompanied minors who crossed into Spain are gathered outside a warehouse used as temporary shelter as they wait to be tested for COVID-19 at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, near the border of Morocco and Spain, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Social services for the small city perched on an outcropping i...

People climb a fence in the area at the border of Morocco and Spain, outside the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

A migrant is comforted by a member of the Spanish Red Cross near the border of Morocco and Spain, at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo/)

A migrant runs after crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, near the border of Morocco and Spain, early Wednesday, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo)

Spanish Army soldiers run as they take positions at the border of Morocco and Spain, at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

Spanish Army soldiers clash with migrants near the border of Morocco and Spain, at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

Spanish Army and Guardia Civil officers take positions next to the border of Morocco and Spain, at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

© Provided by Associated Press Military personnel direct F-35 jets and helicopters on the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as it participates in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of ...

© Provided by Associated Press Military personnel participate in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens of aircraft...

© Provided by Associated Press The NATO flag flaps in the wind on the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as it participates in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several...

© Provided by Associated Press Military personnel participate in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens of aircraft...

© Provided by Associated Press British military crew on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as it participates in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens o...

Military personnel participate in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise on the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens of aircraft are taking part in ...

The aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth participates in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens of aircraft are taking part in military exercises stretching acr...

Military personnel participate in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens of aircraft are taking part in military exe...

Military personnel participate in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise on the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens of aircraft are taking part in ...

An F-35 jet takes off as military personnel participate in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens of aircraft are ta...

A ship is seen off the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as it participates in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens of aircraft are taking part...

A pilot maneuvers an F-35 jet as military personnel participate in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Portugal, Thursday, May 27, 2021. As tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of NATO troops, several warships and dozens of aircraf...

Runway

China is expanding the construction of its facilities on Fiery Cross Reef. Provided by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), this June 28, 2015 photo reveals Beijing has nearly completed a 3,000 meter (9,800-foot) airstrip, long enough to accommodate most Chinese military aircraft. Two h...

Expansion

Reclamation on Fiery Cross Reef, which lies on the west side of the Spratly Islands, began in August of 2014 and its principal landmass was finished by November. Dredgers have created a land mass that spans the entire existing reef and is approximately 3,000 meters long and 200-300 meters wide.

Facilities

This picture taken last November shows construction work being carried out on Fiery Cross Reef. The reef reportedly already houses a helicopter landing pad, a 300-meter-long wharf, a harbor large enough to dock military tankers, barracks and artillery emplacements.

South Johnson Reef

This reef was one of the first facilities to finish principal land reclamation. This recent picture shows that a radar tower is nearing completion at the north end of the land mass. According to AMTI, a new large multi-level military facility has been built in the center of the island. Up to six sur...

A naval base?

Beginning in early 2015, Mischief Reef - also located in the Spratlys - has undergone extensive reclamation activity. Experts say that the recent widening of the southern entrance to the reef, coupled with sightings of Chinese navy vessels, may suggest a future role for the reclaimed reef as a naval...

From reef to island

Significant construction on Gaven Reef began in 2014, with a total of 114,000 square meters of land already created. Satellite pictures show just how fast construction has progressed on the reef. A new artificial island was created between March (left) and August (right) 2014.

Troop garrison

According to AMTI, China has had a troop garrison on Gaven Reef since 2003, which has included a large supply platform where ships can dock. Experts say a new main square building in the reef appears to be an anti-aircraft tower.

A standardized process

As seen in this image, the basic process of expanding these features involves dredging sand from the seafloor and dumping it onto the reefs. The structure is raised above the high water line, hiding the status of the bank or reef beneath. The sand is then smoothed out and workers surround the island...

'Historic rights'

China claims most of the potentially energy-rich waterway, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The US Pacific Fleet commander recently said China was "creating a great wall of sand" in the South China Sea, causing serious concerns about its territorial intentions. Beijin...

Territorial disputes

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims, which have led to territorial disputes in the area. Last summer, China's deployment of a massive oil rig in waters also claimed by Hanoi escalated tensions in the region, sparking a standoff at sea and violent anti-C...

US concerns

Washington is concerned China's efforts carry a military dimension that could undermine the US' naval and economic power in the Pacific, and has weighed sending warships and surveillance aircraft within 12 nautical miles of the new artificial islands. Washington has repeatedly called on Beijing and ...

Ecological impact

The Philippines filed a formal plea at the UN last year, challenging Beijing's territorial claims. Manila said China's reclamation activities are causing "irreversible and widespread damage to the biodiversity and ecological balance of the South China Sea." It also claimed that the destruction of co...

South Sea Fleet/China National Radio A JH-7 fighter-bomber assigned to the People's Liberation Army South Sea Fleet fires rockets during a live-fire exercise in the South China Sea on 14 and 15 May.

South Sea Fleet/China National Radio A warplane assigned to the People's Liberation Army South Sea Fleet strafe a floating target with rocket during a live-fire exercise in the South China Sea on 14 and 15 May. South Sea Fleet/China National Radio

South Sea Fleet/China National Radio A warplane assigned to the People's Liberation Army South Sea Fleet strafe a floating target with rocket during a live-fire exercise in the South China Sea on 14 and 15 May. South Sea Fleet/China National Radio

South Sea Fleet/China National Radio A JH-7 fighter-bomber assigned to the People's Liberation Army South Sea Fleet takes off from a runway during a live-fire exercise in the South China Sea on 14 and 15 May. South Sea Fleet/China National Radio