Island construction will continue as planned

China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang on Tuesday confirmed that the country will "soon" complete the land reclamation projects underway in the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea "as planned".

The announcement, however, has been misinterpreted by some Western media outlets as a concession to the United States, which has been pressuring China to stop its reclamation and construction activities in the South China Sea. Such a misreading not only underestimates Beijing's staunch determination to protect its legal interests and maritime sovereignty, but also distorts the reality of China's endeavors.

China began working on the islands in November 2013, and the planned reclamation projects are nearing completion. But, as Lu said, once the land reclamation activities are complete, work will begin on constructing facilities that can fulfill the relevant functions.