China uses South China Sea islands as military control center

China uses South China Sea islands as military control center. February. 19, 2018 07:52. by Wan-Jun Yun zeitung@donga.com.
The U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies confirmed that China recently deployed communications equipment such as transmitting tower, and high frequency radar equipment in the northwest part of Fiery Cross Reef in Spratly Island of the South China Sea, The Hong Kong South China Morning Post said on Sunday. Some 3,000-meter-long landing strip, not to mention a hangar for aerial tanker and air carriers, were deployed on the 100,000 square meter reef. The United States believe that China is creating seven reefs including not only the Fiery Cross Reef but also the Subi Reef and Mischief Reef as an artificial island for military facility. “The Fiery Cross facility may be used as a mediation base for communication among military facilities created by China,” the newspaper reported by citing military experts for the China region.

As such, tensions are rising between the United States and China. Harry Harris, United States Navy Admiral, who has been designated as the U.S. ambassador to Australia, expressed concerns over militarization of the Spratly Islands during the House Armed Services Committee Hearing on Wednesday, saying, “China is attempting to assert de facto sovereignty over disputed maritime features by further militarizing its man-made bases.”