The defense ministry said that the renovations to the airport on Taiping Island are for flight safety and will enable the airport to be used for humanitarian missions. When the construction is done, the air force’s C-130 transport aircraft can be used for humanitarian efforts.
There have been rumors in the media that the renovated airport would be used for F-16 jet fighters. But defense ministry spokesman David Lo said on Tuesday those reports were not true.
Taiping Island is the largest of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. These islands have been at the center of territorial disputes between Taiwan China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.
The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said the airport runway on Taiping Island is the third longest among those on South China Sea islands. The airport runway being built by Taiwan is 1,195 meters long and can be used for cargo, surveillance and jet fighter planes.
China and Malaysia have the first and second longest runways in the South China Sea.