On January 6, the American news magazine Newsweek published an article citing recent satellite imagery that it said indicates renewed land reclamation activity at Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands of the South China Sea.

(American news magazine Newsweek posts the article “China Is Building Out Another Artificial Island”)

The article suggests China is expanding an existing outpost in the South China Sea. The activity forms part of a broader pattern of large-scale reclamation and infrastructure. In this article, analysts said that these developments reflect China’s continued long-term investment in enhancing operational capabilities across a strategically vital maritime corridor.

However, such reporting, driven more by speculation than by verified evidence, risks undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Relying on unsubstantiated claims circulating on social media, some reports conjecture that the alleged construction would provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) coverage in support of China Coast Guard and naval operations.

Others go even further, advancing far-fetched claims that China may seek to contest the electromagnetic spectrum in a future conflict.

For the media, speculation grounded in hearsay, selective interpretation, and unverified online claims does more than undermine journalistic credibility. It falls short of basic professional standards that demand accuracy and restraint, particularly when reporting on sensitive regional security issues. When conjecture is presented as analysis, it not only misleads audiences but also invites legitimate questions about the underlying intent of such reporting—whether it is driven by the pursuit of attention, narrative convenience, or a deliberate effort to frame developments through a predetermined geopolitical lens.

Narratives built on conjecture rather than facts risk inflaming regional tensions, sowing discord among regional actors, and ultimately undermining hard-won peace and stability in the South China Sea. Ultimately, this approach does not contribute to transparency or stability; it undermines the peace and relative stability that the region has painstakingly sought to preserve.