A United States think-tank says recent satellite images appear to show that China has installed anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapons on its man-made islands in the South China Sea (SCS).
The Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a report late on Wednesday that the anti-aircraft guns and close-in weapons systems designed to guard against missile attack have been placed on all seven of China’s newly created islands.
The outposts were built in recent years by piling sand on top of coral reefs followed by the construction of airstrips, barracks, lighthouses and radar stations and other infrastructure.
China says the islands are intended to boost maritime safety in the region. It also marks its claim to ownership of practically the entire SCS, its islands, reefs and other maritime features. Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also claim territory in the strategic waterway, while the U.S. Navy insists on its right to operate throughout the area, including in waters close to China’s new outposts.
Trump and uncertainty
The U.S. has committed to beefing up its military presence in the area, although new uncertainty has been introduced by incoming President Donald Trump.
The President-elect has called for a reconsideration of its commitments to its Asian allies, including Japan and South Korea, while simultaneously criticising Chinese trade policy toward the U.S. and its new territorial assertiveness.
Mr. Trump referred to China’s man-made islands in a tweet earlier this month, saying Beijing didn’t ask the U.S. if it was OK to “build a massive military complex in the South China Sea.”
