Spratly Islands

What are the Spratly Islands?

The Spratly Islands are a scattered group of more than 100 reefs, shoals, cays and small islands in the southern South China Sea. They spread over roughly 425,000 km² of water, an area larger than Germany. Most features are coral reefs that are underwater at high tide. The natural islands and sandy cays above high tide total less than 2 km².

The largest island is Itu Aba, which China and Taiwan call Taiping Island and Vietnam calls Ba Binh. It covers about 46 hectares. The second largest is Thitu, which the Philippines calls Pag-asa, China calls Zhongye and Vietnam calls Thi Tu. It covers about 37 hectares.

The islands sit on rich fishing grounds beside the shipping routes between the Strait of Malacca and East Asia. The sea floor may hold oil and gas, mostly around Reed Bank in the northeast of the group.

Who occupies the Spratly Islands?

Five governments hold features in the Spratlys. Of today's occupiers, the Republic of China, now based in Taiwan, arrived first, in 1946. The Philippines followed in 1971, South Vietnam in the 1970s, Malaysia in 1983 and China in 1988. By CSIS AMTI's count as of August 2025, Vietnam holds 21, the Philippines 9, China 7, Malaysia 5 and Taiwan 1. Other sources count Vietnam's features differently.

China's seven features include Johnson South Reef, which China calls Chigua Jiao and Vietnam calls Gac Ma. Three have runways: Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef. China turned all seven into artificial islands between 2013 and 2016.

Vietnam's outposts include Spratly Island, which Vietnam calls Truong Sa Island and where it has its only runway in the group, and Southwest Cay (Song Tu Tay). The Philippines' main base is Thitu. The Philippine municipality of Kalayaan, based on Thitu, had 406 residents in the 2024 census. Philippine Marines also live aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, grounded in 1999 on Second Thomas Shoal, which the Philippines calls Ayungin and China calls Ren'ai Jiao.

Taiwan holds Itu Aba, where about 200 coast guard personnel are stationed. Malaysia holds five features in the south, including Swallow Reef (Layang-Layang), where its navy has a station. Brunei claims a zone but occupies nothing.

Who has built artificial islands in the Spratlys?

China turned seven reefs in the Spratlys into artificial islands from 2013 to 2016, creating about 3,200 acres (13 km²) of new land. Three of them have runways of about 2.6 to 3.3 km, long enough for military jets: Fiery Cross Reef (Yongshu Jiao to China), Subi Reef (Zhubi Jiao) and Mischief Reef (Meiji Jiao). The Philippines calls Mischief Reef Panganiban Reef. China says the islands serve civilian uses such as search and rescue and weather forecasting, as well as defense.

Vietnam has since built about 2,771 acres (11.2 km²) in the Spratlys, according to CSIS AMTI, including 534 acres in the year to May 2026. Vietnam's government rarely comments on the work. By August 2025 all 21 of its outposts included artificial land. In June 2026, Radio Free Asia reported Vietnamese construction at 27 sites on at least 18 reefs. Vietnam is building a runway of about 3 to 4 km on Barque Canada Reef. It would be Vietnam's second runway in the Spratlys, after the one on Spratly Island.

The other occupiers have shorter runways. The Philippines has one of about 1.3 km on Thitu and has been building a sheltered port there since 2018. Taiwan has a runway of about 1.15 km and a pier on Itu Aba. Malaysia has a runway of about 1.37 km on Swallow Reef.

What clashes have happened in the Spratlys?

The deadliest clash was at Johnson South Reef on March 14, 1988. Each side says the other started the fight. Vietnam says 64 of its soldiers were killed. China reported one of its sailors wounded. China has held the reef since.

In early 1995, the Philippines found Chinese structures on Mischief Reef. China said they were shelters for fishermen.

Since 2023, Chinese and Philippine ships have clashed often near Second Thomas Shoal. On June 17, 2024, Chinese coast guard personnel rammed and boarded Philippine Navy supply boats, and a Filipino sailor lost his right thumb. China said it acted lawfully. In August 2024, coast guard ships of the two countries collided near Sabina Shoal, which the Philippines calls Escoda Shoal and China calls Xianbin Jiao. Each side blamed the other.

In April 2025, Chinese coast guard officers landed on Sandy Cay, near Thitu, which China calls Tiexian Jiao, and unfurled a Chinese flag. Philippine personnel landed days later with a Philippine flag. On October 12, 2025, a Chinese coast guard ship fired a water cannon at Philippine fishery vessels off Thitu and rammed one. China said the Philippine ship caused the collision.

On September 24, 2026, Chinese navy and coast guard ships blocked a Philippine resupply run to the shoal. The next run reached the ship on October 21.

What did the 2016 tribunal rule about the Spratlys?

In 2013, the Philippines brought a case against China under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. On July 12, 2016, the tribunal ruled against China's claim to historic rights inside the dashed line. It found that no Spratly feature generates a 200-mile exclusive economic zone. It classed Itu Aba, Thitu, Spratly Island and every other feature above high tide as rocks, which earn only a 12-mile territorial sea. It found that Itu Aba cannot sustain a stable human community or an economic life of its own.

It also ruled that Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal are low-tide elevations within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. No country can claim such a feature as territory. It found that China's island-building at seven Spratly features caused severe harm to the coral reef environment. The tribunal did not rule on who owns the islands.

China called the ruling "null and void." China says the case was really about sovereignty and sea borders, which it excluded from arbitration in 2006, so the tribunal had no jurisdiction. Taiwan, which was not invited to take part, rejected the finding on Itu Aba. Taiwan says the island has fresh water and meets the legal test for a full island. On the ruling's 10th anniversary in July 2026, 14 countries including the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom called it final and legally binding.

What happens next?

CSIS AMTI reported in August 2025 that Vietnam had created about 70% as much artificial land in the Spratlys as China and would likely match or pass China's total. Vietnam's recent work has shifted from adding land to building harbors, runways and other facilities.

The Philippines is building up Thitu and keeps resupplying the BRP Sierra Madre. On July 20, 2026, the Philippine military said a Chinese coast guardsman struck a Philippine sailor with a baton near Second Thomas Shoal. China's coast guard said the Philippine crew rammed its boat and attacked first. The United States says its 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines covers attacks on Philippine forces anywhere in the South China Sea.

China patrols the area with coast guard and maritime militia ships. On June 11, 2026, two Chinese government ships entered the restricted waters Taiwan declares around Itu Aba for the first time. Taiwan's coast guard ordered them out, and they left after about 15 minutes.

Malaysia holds its five outposts and handles its disputes with China mostly through private diplomacy.