Story highlights China says land reclamation work in the South China Sea almost complete

Government says it will continue construction work on the islands

China is locked in a dispute with many of its neighbors over territory in the region

Hong Kong (CNN) China's foreign ministry says it will soon complete controversial land reclamation on some islands and reefs in disputed waters in the South China Sea.

However, the ministry also said in a statement released Tuesday that it planned to build facilities on the artificial islands it has created and these would perform several tasks -- including military defense.

"According to the planned operation, China is about to complete the land reclamation operation at some of the Nansha islands where China has been stationed," the statement said. It did not give a time frame.

Alarm

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