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Well, it was hardly surprising when the news came out: Beijing has based – permanently, perhaps – offensive weapons on the artificial islands it has painstakingly constructed in the South China Sea. These deployments cap a series of deceptions, increasingly belligerent military actions, and various illegal activities that have surrounded Chinese goings-on in the region for nearly a decade.
in 2015, Chinese leader Xi Jinping promised not to militarize the islands that his country was – contrary to international law – building in the Spratly Islands. The Spratlys are a chain of mostly coral reefs in the eastern South China Sea that barely break the ocean’s surface, but they are adjacent both to major sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) and to potentially lucrative maritime natural resources, such as fisheries and oil and gas deposits.
Consequently, several countries in addition to China – including Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam – have laid claim to various parts of the Spratlys, and nearly all have attempted to enforce these claims by establishing garrisons and other structures on the islands.
Garrisoning the Spratlys
But none of these countries have gone as far as China, and it is obvious now that Xi was lying about his intentions for these artificial islands. Several islands were constructed with airstrips and harbors capable of accepting military aircraft and warships. In late 2016, China had permanently emplaced on some of these islands anti-aircraft guns and so-called “close-in weapons systems” (CIWS), basically Gatling guns connected to sensors that operate automatically against incoming air threats.
Several islands were constructed with airstrips and harbors capable of accepting military aircraft and warships
Now, earlier this month, it was discovered that China has also deployed antiship cruise missiles (ASCMs) and long-range surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) to at least three of its structures in the Spratlys – Fiery Cross Reef, Mischief Reef, and Subi Reef. The SAM systems, believed to be the HQ-9B, have a range of over 200 kilometers. Meanwhile, China’s YJ-12B ASCM is a supersonic missile with a range of nearly 300 kilometers. Both missiles could be used to close off a large portion of the eastern South China Sea to shipping and threaten other naval forces.
Both of these missile systems are, by the way, essentially copies of Russian armaments – the S-300 SAM, in the case of the HQ-9, while the YJ-12 has been described as a “lengthened version” of the Russian Kh-31 air-to-surface missile. So Moscow shares at least some responsibility for the militarization of the South China Sea.
Meanwhile, in the western South China Sea…
While these militarization efforts are under way in the Spratly Islands, China is taking similar action in the western South China Sea. In particular, Beijing has greatly expanded and modernized its structures on Woody Island, one of China’s largest possessions in the South China Sea. It has lengthened its runway on the island to 2,700 meters, which can accommodate most Chinese fighter jets (in fact, Chinese Air Force J-11B fighters were spotted on the island in 2016). At the same time, Beijing has improved its harbor facilities on Woody Island, and in early 2016 it was reported that HQ-9 SAMs had also been deployed here.
Finally, China is also emplacing radar stations on many of these islands in the South China Sea and stepping up its air and naval operations in the region. These deployments, plus the stationing of missiles, effectively put all of the South China Sea within range of the Chinese military.
As a consequence, the South China Sea is being increasingly dominated militarily by China at both its eastern and western ends. This is what researchers at the US Naval War College meant when they told the author that Chinese militarization activities in the region are an attempt to create the equivalent of a “strategic strait” in the South China Sea. In other words, through the more or less permanent deployment of Chinese military power at both extreme ends of the South China Sea – Hainan and Woody Island in the west, and the new (and newly militarized) artificial islands in the east – Beijing is seeking to transform the South China Sea from an international SLOC into a Chinese-controlled waterway and a strategic chokepoint for other countries.
Creating a zone of anti-access/area denial
This amalgamation of force means that China’s decades-long “creeping assertiveness” in this particular body of water has become a full-blown offensive. What all this means is that China is well on its way toward turning the South China Sea in a zone of anti-access/area denial (A2/AD). This means keeping military competitors (particularly the US Navy) out of the region, or seriously impeding their freedom of action inside it.
The consequence of turning the South China Sea into de facto Chinese territorial waters has many implications, of course. It could severely restrict freedom of navigation and permit China to hog the economic riches of the region. In particular, it could make it more difficult (or at least more problematic) for non-Chinese navies to sail between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It could undermine the sovereignty of many regional states; in particular, it could leave Taiwan open to military intimidation and even invasion.
Again, we outside China cannot say that we did not see it coming. China’s intent with regard to the South China Sea has been evident for years. But Beijing’s big lie has finally been laid bare.
With constant provocations and threats by outside powers especially the US it is only right that China takes steps to protect its assets. You tends to hold other powers by their words. That is a rather foolish belief. When in history has any major powers truely mean what they say, or even what they sign on.
As for restrictions on maritime shipping it is only to China’s advantages to keep it free and open. Naval movements are look upon with suspicion. You never know.
How the Chinese will go about to defend the nation from all evil. https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/NMS.png No more needed be said here. End of South China Sea commotion.
As for the Civet Poopers:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-southchinasea-china-missiles/vietnam-asks-china-to-withdraw-military-equipment-from-south-china-sea-idUKKBN1I921X
Even Kim Jong-UN have an understands of the contribution that we Chinese had made http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/0509/c90000-9457811.html to the Korean nation.
The thanks we Chinese get for tightening our belts and for going through thick and thin for the national salvation of the Ho Chi Ming nation.
Bunch-a low end substandard class of people. How I wish the US would do a second round of Nam on the country and finish the job they started…
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Well written article, that makes a lot of good points.
Will be interesting to see what President Trump does. Can he recognize the shifting geopolitics that has occurred or will he stay with the neo-cons all or nothing ideology. Does he want to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula or "near-term complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement (CVID) of North Korea’s nuclear program"? Is America capable of a rational long-term vision. He hasn’t shown such so far.
It’s interesting how this article didn’t provide any new information and it represents propaganda at its finest. It lied by suggesting that China’s military buildup somehow caused other countries to occupy, enlarge, and place offensive weapons on their claimed islands and reefs…it’s actually the opposite. China has formally declared ownership of the 11-dash line since 1946 and it is only now occupying islands and defending a its claims because Vietnamese and Philippine troops are doing the same.
Additionally, this article only states a partial truth; it completely neglects to discuss what the other claimant countries have been up to. For example, it fails to mention the many islands and reefs that Vietnam has militarily occupied in the last decade, nor the Philippine strategy of beaching ships on reefs to claim new territory.
China: We don’t stop unless we are stopped
the cia plant ""blitzinger writes the propaganda that the us. zio/neocons want. if the u s and others [[uk/france et al]] wouldn’t be in those waters threatening china from is southern borders by naval power this episode would n’t be necessary . trun the tables on the u s ,and if china was prowling the gulf of mexico or the atlantic or pacific coast s of the u.s .what do you beleive the zio/neocons would do??
Frank and direct assessment of gradual but firm Chinese militarization of the SC Sea liked this is no doubt attracted a lots of Chinese trolls!
Stop making excuses for China’s deceptive and illegal purposes for militarizing the South China Sea. Sounds typical of those who are Chinese sympathizers or those who support Communism and hate opposing views.
I know….poor China who only has small weapons. LMAO!!
This may very well happen. Remember I told you so.
Why is the Empire (a.k.a. America) militarizing the whole world?
Silly you. They are preparing to attack Taiwan so that no one can stop them. Just wait until all those fresh new organs come on the market to save rich peoples lives!
When the US militarily pivot 80% of their navy to Asia to threaten the Chinese, it is not militarizing. When the Chinese responded by installing defensive positions, it is militarizing. I can’t see the logic.
The Chinese are building up their navy so be able to take back Taiwan, and when doing that to be able to prevent the US from from choking their SLOC in the SCS, Malacca Strait and Indian Ocean. Hence the necessary massive naval build-up.
As far as blocking shipping is concerned, the US and its allies are reported to have run exercises blocking the Malacca Strait to Chinese shipping. Whatever else it may be doing, China is attempting to protect shipping lanes in the SCS so it can receive oil from the Middle East.
I can certainly see that Mr. Bitzinger makes sense from his own point of view, but that point of view seems both limited and one-sided.
Why Beijing is militarizing the South China Sea? Has Beijijg any other choice to defend her sovereignity in the light of US provocation! Beijing wanted to make thise Islands pleasere islands like Maldeep!
Clearly, what China is attempting to accomplish here is quite transparent. Freedom of navigation for all countries is an important precedent and, as history has shown, wars do not start because a country was too strong. Wars commence when weakness exists. While I would prefer the overall situation has not escalated to the point it has, the US has allies in the region that cannot stand on their own and the
rules of international law should be adhered to. I do foresee an incident in the future that can very well escalate into a miltary response by either side here. That would be unfortunate for both parties.
Mau nanya dok setelah operasi usus buntu sembunya apa lama.
Ivor Large One Trident missile can shut them down about 1.2 million . If it hit BJ or SH that will be nasty boomb!
Perry Kamath yes NK is now became good lads . And you , The People Robbpublic of Cheatna will became good luck 🙂
If you been taugh history more systematically you will understand who is threatening whom. There was an era called A giant leap and continuously an era of famine . If US and all other nation had something evil idea you said , they let those poor chinese starve to die and coup that country easily . Ha Ha . no nuke no wapon and cost effective . nice?
Thzforasia
Joe Wong in words no body can beat the US, but the truth is they are all aware that china is also capable of putting their carrier strike groups at the bottom of the sea. When is the time that the world still believe and rely on the US where in fact as china is still in its mteoric rise in contrast to their precipitous fall, the US is only watching, accerting their freedom of navigation, and threatening military action in WORDS.