China begins new work on disputed South China Sea island

[webfact]

China begins new work on disputed South China Sea island

By Greg Torode

REUTERS

 

Combination of satellite photos shows Chinese-controlled North Island, part of the Paracel Islands group in the South China Sea, on February 15, 2017 (top) and on March 6, 2017. Planet Labs/Handout via REUTERS

 

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China has started fresh construction work in the disputed South China Sea, new satellite images show, a sign that Beijing is continuing to strengthen its military reach across the vital trade waterway.

 

Regional military attaches and experts believe the work shows China's determination to build up its network of reefs and islets, even if it is seeking to avoid a fresh confrontation with the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

 

An image of North Island in the Paracels group taken on March 6 shows recent work including land clearing and possible preparation for a harbour to support what experts believe may be eventual military installations. Initial work was damaged in a typhoon last year.

 

The pictures, provided by private satellite firm Planet Labs, follow reports in January showing work undertaken on nearby Tree Island and other features in the Paracels, which are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

 

Diplomats briefed on latest Western intelligence assessments say Beijing is pursuing efforts to dominate its maritime 'backyard', even if it tweaks the timing of moves to avoid being overtly provocative.

 

"The Paracels are going to be vital to any future Chinese attempt to dominate the South China Sea," said Carl Thayer, a South China Sea expert at Australia's Defence Force Academy.

 

"We can see they are committed to militarisation, whatever the official rhetoric tells us, even if they are going to do it bit by bit."

 

UNCERTAINTIES OVER TRUMP

 

The more widely disputed Spratlys archipelago to the south are higher profile but the Paracels are key to China’s presence in the South China Sea,

 

China has in recent years temporarily based surface-to-air missile launchers and crack jet fighters at long established bases on Woody Island on the Paracels, helping protect its nuclear submarine facilities on Hainan Island.

 

North Island is part of an arc of reefs that are expected to form a protective screen for Woody, which includes civilian facilities and a listening post.

 

Zhang Baohui, a mainland security expert at Hong Kong's Lingnan University, said he believed China was pursuing long-held goals of strengthening its facilities in the Paracels, and had calculated the Trump administration would not over-react given other pressing priorities.

 

"There’s also uncertainty with this young Trump administration, but this is very important work to the Chinese…the Paracels are vital to defending Hainan, which is in turn important to China’s nuclear deterrent," he said.

 

"The calculation here is that it is really only Vietnam that will be rattled by this."

 

The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

China's Defence Ministry said it was "not familiar" with any work at North Island.

 

"What needs to be stressed is that the Xisha Islands are China’s inherent territory," it said, using the Chinese name for the Paracels. China fully occupied the Paracels in 1974 after forcing the navy of the-then South Vietnam off its holdings.

 

News of fresh Chinese activity comes as Rex Tillerson prepares for his first visit to the region as U.S. Secretary of State later this week. Tillerson sparked alarm in Beijing when he said in January China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the South China Sea.

 

A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, was unable to confirm new construction work on North Island but said it would not be surprising.

 

"It would be in line with what they have been doing, why else would they clearing land on the islands but for militarisation," the official said. "There is no other reason to have a presence there."

 

Diplomatic sources in Beijing say China is not looking for confrontation with the United States over the South China Sea, pointing to China’s low-key reaction to last month’s patrol of a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group in the waters there.

 

China has recently sought to portray itself as being conciliatory over the disputed waterway, saying it and Southeast Asian nations are committed to a peaceful resolution.

 

Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said a draft code of conduct for behaviour in the South China Sea had now been completed and that tensions had "distinctly dropped".

 

(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING and Idrees Ali in WASHINGTON; Editing by Lincoln Feast)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-15

[boomerangutang]

Paracels are a big deal for Vietnam, not such a big issue for Fils. Actually, since Duterte got in power, the Fils has been sleeping at the wheel.  The US shouldn't sleep, though, unless it wants China to take over and militarize the SCS.   But that's what happening.  The US, under Trump, is letting the State Dept be under-staffed (many career people quitting, and many positions/appointments not filled).  Head man Tillerson is like a dotty old granddad who sits in the corner sucking his pipe - essentially a do-nothing doughhead.   His trip this week to Asia, is shouting about N.Korea.  Sure, N.Korea is important, but no more so than the SCS.   Tillerson will visit China and, in Trumpian fashion, will smile and bow his head at everyone including the butlers and dishwashers, .....but will accomplish nothing of substance.

 

What he should do is tell the Chinese to pack up and get out of the SCS, or else. 

[halloween]

24 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

Paracels are a big deal for Vietnam, not such a big issue for Fils. Actually, since Duterte got in power, the Fils has been sleeping at the wheel.  The US shouldn't sleep, though, unless it wants China to take over and militarize the SCS.   But that's what happening.  The US, under Trump, is letting the State Dept be under-staffed (many career people quitting, and many positions/appointments not filled).  Head man Tillerson is like a dotty old granddad who sits in the corner sucking his pipe - essentially a do-nothing doughhead.   His trip this week to Asia, is shouting about N.Korea.  Sure, N.Korea is important, but no more so than the SCS.   Tillerson will visit China and, in Trumpian fashion, will smile and bow his head at everyone including the butlers and dishwashers, .....but will accomplish nothing of substance.

 

What he should do is tell the Chinese to pack up and get out of the SCS, or else. 

Or else what?

[whatawonderfulday]

This is the equivalent of showing the middle finger to Trump. 

[canopus1969]

Agreed, the US for all its aircraft carriers and military is powerless and to make empty treats just makes things worst

[yogavnture]

just that you know this issue infuriates most americans. we do not and will not accept the fact china stole an entire ocean.  usa has 7 battlegroups and us admirals have experience with sea warfare. so china better take notice pronto

[yogavnture]

do u have any idea how many arms sales the us are having to Vietnam . taiwan . etc. over this issue?  big money

[jobsworth]

china will ask for its money back if attacked by america.

this is what america did to the uk during the suez crisis.

it is a very effective technique.

 

[smudger1951]

Possession is they say nine tenths of the law and China is playing the long game, and never mind the UN , Israel does'nt. So this gradual encroachment is hard to deal with unless and until a US vessel is attacked in International waters.

[ilostmypassword]

7 hours ago, jobsworth said:

china will ask for its money back if attacked by america.

this is what america did to the uk during the suez crisis.

it is a very effective technique.

 

Currently they hold less than 7 percent of all us treasury debt. And even if they did cash in their Treasury notes, what bad thing do you think would happen?

[Trouble]

15 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

Paracels are a big deal for Vietnam, not such a big issue for Fils. Actually, since Duterte got in power, the Fils has been sleeping at the wheel.  The US shouldn't sleep, though, unless it wants China to take over and militarize the SCS.   But that's what happening.  The US, under Trump, is letting the State Dept be under-staffed (many career people quitting, and many positions/appointments not filled).  Head man Tillerson is like a dotty old granddad who sits in the corner sucking his pipe - essentially a do-nothing doughhead.   His trip this week to Asia, is shouting about N.Korea.  Sure, N.Korea is important, but no more so than the SCS.   Tillerson will visit China and, in Trumpian fashion, will smile and bow his head at everyone including the butlers and dishwashers, .....but will accomplish nothing of substance.

 

What he should do is tell the Chinese to pack up and get out of the SCS, or else. 

This whole issue in the SCS is going to be a bigger problem as time goes on and China takes over more islands.  The idea that Trump and Tillerson are not taking action at this juncture is a little premature considering that for the last 8 years the Chinese have basically had a free hand in pushing their agenda there and are now way ahead on this.  I think rather than confronting the Chinese directly that the US make a treaty with Taiwan, Vietnam or the Philippines (probably not likely) and start building a joint military base on one of the islands claimed by Taiwan or Vietnam.  Let the Chinese protest all they want, they will take no action.  We can do the same kind of pushing that they are doing.  China will one day (if they haven't done so already) maintain that they own all mineral and fishing rights to the area.  That's what this is all about. It is not about security.

[Grubster]

9 hours ago, jobsworth said:

china will ask for its money back if attacked by america.

this is what america did to the uk during the suez crisis.

it is a very effective technique.

 

What money, you mean US dollars? Easy to print.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies removed.  

[Credo]

This is a touchy situation and it is not a problem for the US at this point.   The US is not in a position to do much of anything unless one of the countries involved decides it wants to take action and then the US can back them (or not).    

 

Unless there is a US ship attacked or blocked, there isn't much that can be done.   

 

The ones who need to get off their backsides are the countries in the region.