Fiery Cross is one of the flashpoints for militarization of the South China Sea. It is now a manmade island built by China. Its intended purpose is to act as an island “aircraft carrier” for China in the South China Sea. 

Names

English: Fiery Cross Reef

Chinese: Yongshu Island (永暑岛)

Filipino: Kagitingan Reef

Vietnamese: Đá Chữ Thập

Satellite Imagery

Comparing May, 2014 to December 2016

November 2014

March 2015

Wikipedia – Fiery Cross Reef

Here is what the Chinese say about the island:

By 2016, seven island reefs reclamation has long been completed, ground facilities are beginning to take shape. January 6, Yongshu Island airport for the first time the successful take-off and landing of civil aviation charter flights.Follow-up of nuclear power generation ships, desalination units such as research and development projects is also a success. Our bad neighbors are really afraid of this, and every day called China bully people. I wonder, they steal things used to steal, we put a few security booths also became bully them? Or owe clean up. There is also the Pacific Police are not happy, for a while wiping the edge of the B52 warships will continue to test China’s bottom line.

Translated from 中国的填岛速度：永暑礁现在比某国首都都大

Photos of island construction: From Yongshu Reef to Yongshu Island (in Chinese, 从永暑礁到永暑岛).