The Chinese government mounted a detailed defense on Thursday (April 9) of its reclamation work in the disputed South China Sea, saying its activities were aimed at meeting both military and civil needs.
Newly-published satellite images show that China is quickly reclaiming land around a submerged reef within an area the Philippines regards as its exclusive economic zone, with several dredgers in operation and seawalls built.
The work on Mischief Reef is China’s most recent reclamation in the disputed Spratlys archipelago of the South China Sea. Reclamation is well advanced on six other reefs in the Spratlys, Reuters reported in February, activities that have alarmed other claimants and drawn concern from Washington.
“The Chinese government’s construction and maintenance on some parts of the Nansha islands is mainly to improve the related functions of the islands, improve the working and living standards of the stationed personnel, to better safeguard China’s territorial and maritime sovereignty, to better fulfill China’s search and rescue, disaster prevention, disaster relief, marine scientific research, meteorological observation, environmental protection, safety of navigation, fishery production services, and the international obligations and responsibilities that we’ve undertaken. The relevant construction is a matter that is entirely within the scope of China’s sovereignty. It is fair, reasonable, and lawful; it does not affect and is not targeted against any country. It is beyond reproach,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.
“This time for the construction of the reef, we are building civil functions and facilities, including shelters, aids for navigation, search and rescue as well as marine meteorological forecasting services, fishery services and other administrative services so as to provide the necessary services to China’s neighboring countries and the individual vessels sailing the South China Sea,” she added.
A March 16 image published by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) shows what it said were a chain of small artificial land formations as well as new structures, fortified seawalls and construction equipment along Mischief Reef.
Several dredgers are also present while the entrance to the reef had been expanded, the CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said on its website.
An image from February 1 showed a Chinese amphibious transport naval vessel several hundred meters from the reef’s entrance. CSIS said such a ship was capable of holding up to 800 troops and as many as 20 amphibious armored vehicles.
Surveillance photos taken of Mischief Reef in October and seen by Reuters showed no reclamation work.
Asked about Mischief Reef in light of the images, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said he did not want to speculate on China’s future plans but added that the militarization of territorial disputes in the South China Sea could lead to “dangerous incidents”.
China’s Hua said the criticism was an example of “double standards”.
“We note that there are individual countries that have stayed silent when some countries, for a long time, have been busy building installations on China’s Nansha islands they illegally encroached, but then make irresponsible remarks on China’s own normal activities on our own territory. These are completely double standards. It is not fair and not constructive. So we call on the parties concerned to effectively adhere to their promise of not taking sides on the South China Sea issue and do more for regional peace and stability,” she said.
While China’s new islands will not overturn U.S. military superiority in the region, workers are building ports and fuel storage depots as well as possibly two airstrips that experts have said would allow Beijing to project power deep into the maritime heart of Southeast Asia.
The Philippines first said in February that Chinese dredgers had started work at Mischief Reef, 216 km (135 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan.
China claims the entire South China Sea. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims on the important waterway.
China occupied Mischief Reef in 1995. The October photos showed two structures, including a three-storey building sitting on an atoll.
(Reuters)