China has reportedly bolstered its presence in a disputed maritime zone near South Korea by deploying personnel on a man-made structure.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Why It Matters

China and South Korea created the Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) in the Yellow Sea under a 2000 agreement, where their 230-mile-wide exclusive economic zones (EEZs) overlap, pending a final maritime boundary settlement between the two nations.

Operating the world's largest navy by number of vessels, China has been accused of attempting to militarize the Yellow Sea by deploying warships to the PMZ and waters considered part of the South Korean EEZ, maintaining a persistent military presence.

China's moves in the disputed waters, including the inst

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