Retail Expansion in Disputed Waters: China Opens 6,000 sqm Shopping Mall on Woody Island
China has opened a 6,000 sqm shopping center on Woody Island in the Paracels. This move signals a strategic shift toward normalizing civilian presence in the disputed South China Sea.
Shopping bags are replacing sandbags on the front lines of the South China Sea. China has officially opened the Sansha City Commercial Centre on Woody Island in the disputed Paracel Islands. The local government announced the complex opened for business on December 25, 2025, marking a significant upgrade to the outpost's civilian infrastructure.
From Hotpot to High-End Retail
The new complex spans over 6,000 square meters (64,600 sq ft), making it the largest civilian facility on what Beijing calls Yongxing Island. It's the latest in a series of civilian additions, following a hotpot restaurant in 2023 and the island's first hardware store in 2024. These developments suggest a concerted effort to transform a strategic military outpost into a seemingly normal urban hub.
The Tactical Normalization of Control
By bolstering its civilian presence, China is reinforcing its administrative grip on the South China Sea. While Vietnam and Taiwan also claim the territory, China has been the most aggressive in building physical infrastructure. Establishing Sansha City as a functional administrative center with shopping and services helps normalize its presence in the eyes of the international community, despite ongoing legal disputes.
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