The South China Morning Post based in Hong Kong reported on Saturday that China plans to create a military base in the Kalayaan Island Group, a move that is seen to further increase the tension in the ongoing territorial dispute between China and the Philippines.

The KIG is located near Palawan, and has been declared as part of  Philippine territory as early as 1946. The government has always maintained that the KIG is an integral part of Kalayaan town in Palawan, a municipality created by Presidential Decree 1596 in June 11, 1978.

China, however, claims the islands as its own, as part of a larger territory it calls Nansha (Spratlys).

The SCMP report said a military base will be built after the planned expansion of an artificial island located on the Fiery Cross Reef, which the Philippines calls Kagitingan Reef.

Chinese Naval Research Institute expert Li Jie told SCMP that the military base will feature an airstrip and a port. The base will also have storage for military supplies.

Read more: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/06/08/china-mulls-over-new-base-near-ph/