View from the Sky: How the Chinese Are Building Islands in Disputed Territory (9 Photos)

These islands are a tourist paradise. White sand beaches playfully lapped by turquoise waves. A gentle sea breeze. But this paradise is artificial—not imaginary, but artificial—and instead of tourists, it's inhabited by soldiers. Paradise islands have begun appearing in the South China Sea in recent months. They've become Beijing's trump cards in the increasingly escalating conflict between China and other Asian countries over sovereignty over the region's maritime expanses.

Well, we'll see what comes of this, but for now, let's track what's already been achieved. Satellite images will help us with this.





Source: agonistica.com

1. China is dumping giant sand masses onto reefs and shoals, artificially increasing the number of islands in the Spratly archipelago. China's Asian rivals view this activity as an attempt to lay claim to the entire South China Sea.

2. The new islands are capable of supporting large buildings, human settlements, and intelligence systems, including radar. Therefore, China's "island-building" is causing concern in Vietnam, the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian countries, which also lay claim to the Spratlys.



3. Since April, the Philippines has been bombarding China with protests, accusing it of turning two reefs into islands. China's play at being the God who created the land and seas is also unnerving Washington. The United States fears that artificial islands will help China establish more advanced surveillance systems and serve as resupply points for Chinese fleets. In the long term, "island construction" will further China's advance in the Western Pacific.



4. In addition to military purposes, the creation of artificial islands will allow China to lay exclusive claims to economic zones within 200 nautical miles of each island it builds, as stipulated by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Thus, by creating artificial islands, China also seizes 200 nautical miles around them.



5. China, responding to criticism, claims that its island construction in the Spratly archipelago is legal, as the archipelago is its territory. Last month, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated that "China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands." (Nansha is the Chinese name for the Spratlys.)



6. China has currently created more than 1.5 square kilometers of land in the Spratly region using sand and concrete. In fact, over the past month, Beijing has erected a massive sand wall in the area of ​​the disputed islands.



7. The creation of artificial islands is a convenient way to annex neighboring ones, as well as to claim the surrounding waters: according to geological exploration, the South China Sea contains colossal energy reserves.



8. Since January of this year, China has been building four more islands, ranging from 20 to 40 acres in size. Judging by the structures being built on them, they will likely have a military purpose. But the islands will not only serve as military bases or oil rigs. They will become permanent Chinese territory!