Satellite images show a number of artificial islands built by China amongst the Spratly islands of the South China Sea. What was once only 4 km2 of land above sea level created by China, has now transformed to 12.82 km2 despite several countries having a claim over this area. The methods used for expansion, particularly excavation by dredging sand, have caused irreversible damage to aquatic ecosystems. The Filipino Department of Foreign Affairs estimates that Chinese land reclamation has already destroyed 300 acres of coral reef and caused an annual loss worth $100 million. Coral reefs can stop up to 90% of wave strength – a crucial safety factor in typhoon-prone regions with highly populated coastal towns. These reefs are also essential for food security because the spawn produced there gets carried through currents towards coasts, allowing the replenishment of fish, an already fragile resource due to avid overfishing. The Chinese government has made no official statement admitting the damage caused by their land reclamation, even when Chinese scientists predicted an 80% decline of sensitive coral in the South China Sea and danger of extinction for the remaining 20%.