Hong Kong media report that Taiwan is considering extending a runway at an airfield in a disputed area of the South China Sea.

A Taiwanese military source said that security authorities called a conference to review a plan to lengthen a runway on one of the contested Spratly Islands.

Taiwan has been trying to increase its military clout in the disputed region, and it recently established a special forces unit that will be stationed on the islands, calling it a measure to safeguard its territory.

Some or all of the Spratly Islands and their surrounding waters are the bone of territorial contention among Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.