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| Seen several hangars and buildings at one of China Defense Security Asia's military bases |
International Military - China has turned at least three artificial islands in the South China Sea into military bases. They have filled the island with weapons systems such as anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, laser equipment and electronic interception (jamming) systems as well as a number of fighter jets.
This is seen as an aggressive move that could threaten all countries in the region, said a US military commander. Namely US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral John C Aquilino, he said what China had done went against President Xi Jinping's promises in the past.
The pledge includes that Beijing will not turn its artificial island in the region into a military base. "Clearly, China is showing the strength of its armed forces to the world," said the commander. “Over the past 20 years, we have seen the rapid development of China's military power since World War II.
They have increased their power to the point of causing instability in the region,” Admiral John C Aquilino added to the South China Morning Post. There was no official comment from China. Even in the same incident at different times they always say that all efforts are purely defensive.
They do it only to protect their sovereign rights. But keep in mind, China is the second largest in terms of the country's defense budget. This is evidenced by the creation of their own fifth-generation fighter jet, the J-20, which is claimed to be equivalent to the F-22 Raptor.
Apart from the fighter jets, over the decades they have managed to build hypersonic missiles and two aircraft carriers and there are three more under construction.
“Disputes” in the Spratlys
The incident occurred while a US Navy P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane was on a patrol mission near an outpost in the Spratly islands in the South China Sea.
At that time, Poseidon was warned several times by China that they were prohibited from flying in the area and asked to stay away.
“China has sovereignty over the Spratly islands, as well as the maritime territory around them. Move away immediately to avoid misjudgment,” China told Poseidon.
However, the US aircraft ignored the warning and continued to do its job. “This is an invulnerable and sovereign US Navy aircraft. We have legal permission to patrol the airspace of any coastal country,” the Poseidon pilot replied to China.
This was supported by US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral John C Aquilino, who said “carrying out this task is guaranteed by international law. And we operate with due regard for the rights and obligations of all countries,” he explained on the Defense Security Asia page.
Navy commander Joel Martinez, who leads the Poseidon crew, said he had been "threatened" by Chinese fighter jets. The Poseidon's flight path was disrupted by Chinese jets flying close together and performing dangerous maneuvers. US flight crews remind them to comply with aviation safety regulations.
Military base on an artificial island
As Poseidon reconnaissance planes flew close to China's artificial islands, they spotted high-rise buildings, hangars, harbors, runways and radar towers. They also saw that there were 40 ships docked there. “The function of the islands is to expand China's strike capabilities beyond their coastal areas.
"With it, they can fly fighter jets, bombers and other missile attack platforms," said Aquilino. According to The Guardian, any military or civilian aircraft flying in the area is an easy target within range of the missile systems on the islands.
As a matter of fact, it turns out that what China is doing has been going on for almost a decade. The US responded by sending warships to the region.
The US goal is to "scare" Beijing while offering "free security" to countries in the region. However, all US military actions are routinely rejected by China.