Philippine officials say China has continued with its major island-making work in at least two reefs in the South China Sea's Spratly island chain, casting doubt on a Chinese pronouncement that some of its massive construction in seven sites there would end soon.
Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon said today that he flew near the Subi Reef on a private plane as he was about to land at a nearby Philippine-occupied island more than a week ago and he saw that Chinese construction was in full swing with many dredgers and a huge crane visible on the emerging man-made island.
Two senior Philippine military officials say that China's island-building has continued at another site, called Mischief Reef, based on recent surveillance flights.
Chinese Embassy officials did not immediately issue any reaction.
