Chinese officials have created a 3,000m-long reef in the Spratly Islands Archipelago has been source of dispute between south Asian countries Vietnamese, Malaysian and Filipino forces all have airfields in the water The developing Fiery Cross Reef may become China's first airbase Air force colonel said the military needed facilities in South China Sea

By Jennifer Smith for MailOnline

Published: 13:53 EST, 23 November 2014 | Updated: 14:41 EST, 23 November 2014

Chinese officials are building the first island large enough for its own airfield in the middle of disputed waters in the south sea.

Satellite images revealed that since reclaiming the Spratly Islands in August, workers have expanded one stretch of sand to make it long enough for aircraft to land and take off.

Dredgers are also creating a harbour to the east of the reef large enough to receive tankers and warships.

The 3,000m patch Fiery Cross Reef forms part of the archipelago which has been at the heart of territorial disputes for years.

Satellite images show that since reclaiming the Spratly Islands in August, workers have expanded one stretch of sand to make it long enough for aircraft to land and take off

While the islands, named after the British sailor Richard Spratly who discovered them in 1843, lie between the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, they are host to a plethora of military machinery and resources owned by the Republic of China.

Fears that China intended to use the archipelago as a mineral-rich installation of military bases spread when officials began reclaiming the abandoned islands in August.

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China building island large enough for an airfield in disputed south sea waters