A newly released set of satellite images has revealed that China is artificially expanding a reef in disputed waters, presumably to strengthen its territorial claims.
"In our view, China's land reclamation and the construction activity are fuelling greater anxiety within the region," State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke told reporters.
Rathke said Washington is concerned that China "might militarize outposts on disputed land features of the South China Sea.
"So we are watching these developments closely and we continue to raise our concerns with China as well as with others in the region to urge all parties to avoid destabilizing activities.
"And we encourage all claimants as we have for a long time to pursue peaceful and diplomatic approaches to maritime and territorial disputes in the South China Sea," he added.
- Satellite images on the website of the Center for Strategic and International Studies show a flotilla of Chinese vessels dredging sand onto a feature known as Mischief Reef.
Analysts say the pictures show how China is attempting to create "facts in the water" to bolster its territorial claim.
AFP
almanar.com.lb
9/4/15
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Related:
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China on Thursday sketched out plans for the islands it is creating in the disputed South China Sea, saying they would be used for military defense as well as to provide civilian services that would benefit other countries...
ReplyDeleteChinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters that the reclamation and building work in the Spratly archipelago was needed partly because of the risk of typhoons in an area with a lot of shipping that is far from land.
"We are building shelters, aids for navigation, search and rescue, as well as marine meteorological forecasting services, fishery services and other administrative services'' for China and neighboring countries, Hua said.
The islands and reefs would also meet the demands for China's defense, Hua said without elaborating...........REUTERS.....voanews.com
9/4/15