hong kong/beijing china quietly undertake construction reclamation south china sea recent satellite image show likely powerfully reassert claim waterway soon regional diplomats military officer say global attention focus north korea beijing engross party congress tensions south china sea slip headline recent months none underlie dispute resolve new image review reuters show china continue develop facilities north tree islands contest paracel islands experts say vital trade route remain global flashpoint expect china land first deployments jet fighters onto runways spratly islands come months regional military officer say already use new facilities expand naval coast guard deployments deep southeast asia build extensive facilities chinese civilian pla experts always make clear strategic time right go start use fully say bonnie glaser china security expert washington center strategic international study think question rather china start assert interest forcefully south china sea ... likely time china choose glaser tell reuters rival claimant vietnam meanwhile near completion reclamations extend runway base spratly island satellite image show build-up spratlys symbolize china grow assertiveness south china sea president xi jinping first term highlight address communist party congress month construction islands reef south china sea see steady progress xi tell congress issue likely come u.s. president donald trump visit asia begin week remain concern tensions south china sea particular cause land reclamation militarization dispute outposts willingness resort coercive tactics assert claim say michael cavey spokesman u.s. state department consistently call china well claimants refrain land reclamation construction new facilities militarization dispute feature respond reuters question chinese defence ministry spokesman ren guoqiang reiterate islands irrefutably chinese territory say construction islands reef south china sea build necessary defensive facilities expansion military deployments say believe present situation south china sea generally good relevant party work hard together protect peace stability south china sea china ambassador washington cui tiankai say monday unite state try interfere regional efforts resolve dispute south china sea graphic spratly islands click china seek soothe fellow claimant philippines accelerate talk wide asean group amid concern washington long-term security waterway trillion trade year pass speech singapore early month senior u.s. military chief region say even washington push beijing help north korea would still hold china accountable action counter international rule norms also want beijing stop provocative action east china sea south china sea chinese build combat power positional advantage attempt assert de-facto sovereignty dispute maritime feature admiral harry harris commander u.s. pacific command say china claim much area controversial nine-dash line overlap rival maritime claim vietnam philippines malaysia taiwan brunei recent study u.s. government-linked rand corp weigh risk conflict unite state china move south china sea list potential flashpoints place taiwan korean peninsula study note waterway become unanticipated focal point u.s.-chinese ... rivalry pentagon embark regular freedom-of-navigation patrol fonops challenge beijing claim analysts believe washington struggle counter china creep domination area china appear pursue well-thought long-term strategy achieve dominion south china sea america respond ad hoc tactical maneuver say ian storey south china sea expert singapore yusof ishak institute fonops tactics strategy make china rethink plan south china sea one iota ni lexiong naval expert shanghai university political science law say little need china dramatically increase deployments much depend action others long others intentionally go provoke clash things fine add issue countries like unite state go stir things beijing see poise fresh south china sea assertiveness