“Our intelligence indicates that China is now engaged in a 300-meter water diversion construction project on the existing wharf of the reef,” Lo said.

The MND suspects that the latest round of construction is intended to enable the wharf to dock bigger vessels. The new project could also mean that China is planning to build a helicopter landing pad or other surveillance facilities at the reef, he added.

Lo made the comments in response to questions raised by ruling Kuomintang (KMT) lawmaker Lin Yu-fang (林郁方), who called on the MND to beef up its military presence in the South China Sea in response to the growing threat from China.

According to Lin, the Chinese military has been engaged in large-scale reclamation and earthmoving activities at the reef since September 2013.

Lawmaker Urges Deployment of Missiles on Taiping

The KMT legislator warned that the ongoing construction at the reef could pose a threat to Taiwan-controlled Taiping Island in the South China Sea, which is located approximately 70 kilometers away from the Chigua Reef.

He reiterated his stance that the MND should consider deploying missiles on the island to beef up defensive capabilities.

Several lawmakers from across party lines yesterday also questioned the military's capability in defending Taiping Island, which is currently guarded by Coast Guard Administration (CGA) personnel instead of by military personnel.

In response, Deputy Defense Minister Andrew Hsia (夏立言), who fielded questions during the same meeting, stressed that the MND and CGA regularly hold drills to simulate their responsive measures in case of escalating tension in the region.

Once a military conflict occurs at Taiping, Hsia said that the R.O.C. Air Force could reach the island in four hours by military aircraft and the Navy's vessels could arrive there in 36 hours.

The CGA has been responsible for defending Taiping — the largest island in the Spratly isles — since the R.O.C. Marines were withdrawn in 1999 to ease tensions with other claimants.

Six countries — Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines — all claim total or partial sovereignty over the South China Sea.

Taiwan also controls the Dongsha Islands, the largest island group in the South China Sea.

ASEAN issued a statement expressing concern over conflicts in the South China Sea in a summit earlier this month. The Philippines last week protested the alleged reclamation of land in the disputed waters, and said it ran counter to a regional pact aimed at ensuring stability.

台北，台灣 - 最新的情報顯示，中國正在加強它的存在在中國南海中國控制的礁，以提高其對爭議海域主權要求，國家國防部（MND）昨天說。

提問人立法者對近日有媒體報導，中國可能已經建設了國防部的飛機跑道在中國持有的強生南礁一月以來，少將羅蕭桐（羅曉東）發表評論昨日表示，其情報顯示，中國軍隊一直從事於珊瑚礁土方活動一段時間。

然而，羅表示目前還沒有跡象表明中國會在已知中國的吃瓜礁以及菲律賓呼籲馬比尼礁礁建設簡易機場。

北京和馬尼拉都聲稱擁有主權的爭議海域。

“我們的情報顯示，中國現在從事在礁石上的現有碼頭300米引水建設工程，”羅說。

國防部懷疑，最新一輪建設的目的是使該碼頭停靠較大的船隻。新的項目也可能意味著，中國正計劃在該礁建一個直升機停機坪或其他監視設備，他補充說。

羅以回應執政的國民黨立委林郁方（林郁方），誰呼籲國防部來加強在中國南海的軍事存在，以應對來自中國的日益增長的威脅提出的問題所作的評論。

據林，中國軍隊一直在從事大規模的填海工程及土方工程活動在礁自2013年9月。

國會議員敦促導彈部署在太平

國民黨立委警告說，正在進行建設的珊瑚礁可能對台灣控制的太平島在中國南海，它位於從吃瓜礁約70公里的威脅。

他重申他的立場，國防部應考慮在島上部署導彈來加強防禦能力。

從跨越黨派界線昨日幾位立法委員也質疑在保衛太平島，目前由海巡署（CGA）的人員，而不是軍事人員把守的軍事能力。

對此，國防部副部長夏立言（夏立言），誰在同一會議上回答議員問題時強調，國防部和CGA定期舉行演習，以模擬其應對措施的情況下在該地區不斷升級的緊張局勢。

一旦發生軍事衝突發生在太平，夏說，中華民國空軍可以在四小時內到達該島由軍用飛機和海軍的船隻可以在36小時內到達那裡。

中高協一直負責防守太平 - 在斯普拉特利群島最大的島嶼 - 自中華民國海軍陸戰隊員在1999年撤回緩和緊張局勢和其他索賠。

六個國家 - 台灣，中國，越南，馬來西亞，文萊和菲律賓 - 都聲稱在中國南海全部或部分主權。

台灣還控制著東沙群島，在中國南海最大的島群。

東盟發表聲明，關注在中國南海衝突的一個峰會本月早些時候的聲明。菲律賓上週抗議土地爭議海域被指控的填海，並說這違背了區域性協定旨在確保穩定。