Philippine officials say China island-building in full swing

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines (AP) — China is pressing ahead with the construction of artificial islands on at least two reefs that are also claimed by the Philippines in an increasingly tense territorial dispute, Filipino officials said, despite Beijing's pronouncement that some work would end soon.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said China's large-scale land reclamation projects threaten peace and stability, and called on Beijing and other claimants to freeze such activities and resolve their difference in accordance with international law.

Two senior Philippine military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to the media, said that aside from Subi Reef, China's island-building has also continued on Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, based on recent military surveillance.

[...] in a sign that the developments were far from over, the ministry also said on its website that China would follow up by building infrastructure for maritime search and rescue, environmental conservation and scientific research.

The coastal combat ship USS Fort Worth and a P-3 Orion surveillance plane joined the gunnery and missile defense drills with Filipino counterparts in the Sulu Sea east of Palawan this week after completing patrols in the South China Sea, according to U.S. military officials.