The war in Ukraine has turned out to be the perfect smokescreen for China to expand its territorial ambitions in the Indo-Pacific and the South China Sea. A United States (US) top military official told news agency Associated Press (AP) that China continues to use the world’s preoccupation with the war in Ukraine to arm its military outposts in the South China Sea.
China built several islands in South China Sea and US Indo-Pacific commander admiral John Aquilino said that China has militarised three of those several islands. China completed construction of missile arsenals, aircraft hangars and radar systems on the ‘big three’ reefs of Mischief, Subi and Fiery Cross in the South China Sea.
“The function of those islands is to expand the offensive capability of the PRC beyond their continental shores. They threaten all nations who operate in the vicinity and all the international sea and airspace,” Aquilino told the Associated Press.
China is also bolstering its presence in the South China Sea and the East China Sea by expanding its coast guards presence in those waters. The military administration will send Type 056 corvette warships to the coast guard – at least 20 of them – to help the coast guard expand its presence. The corvette warships have rapid-fire guns and anti-aircraft missile systems.
Japanese government officials familiar with the developments told Nikkei Asia these developments will increase the pressure around the Senkaku Islands which is a contentious topic between Japan and China. “Pressure will increase in the water surrounding the Senkaku Islands. Their offensive capabilities are higher than those of Japan Coast Guard patrol vessels,” the aforementioned official was quoted as saying by news agency Nikkei Asia.
China’s relationship with the Philippines is also fraught as both claim territorial rights over the Scarborough Shoal, which China has brought under its control. The Chinese foreign ministry in a statement said that the shoal is theirs and Manila should steer clear of Huangyan Dao and stop interfering with the coast guards who patrol Huangyan Dao – which is the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal.
Beijing opposes ‘freedom of navigation’ rights exercised by the US and its allies in the South China Sea and conducts military drills in the region to prove its supremacy.
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