Reuters reports China also repeated that it claims “indisputable sovereignty” over the islands, despite a major global court ruling against it last month.
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China claims most of the South China Sea, through which US$5 trillion (S$7 trillion) in shipborne trade passes every year.
Beijing’s territorial claims to the Spratly Islands, which are believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves, run counter to those of the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.
Despite Beijing’s rejection of the ruling, Swift said all sides to the dispute have expressed willingness to settle the row peacefully as Manila’s special envoy for the South China Sea negotiations, former Philippine president Fidel Ramos, is now in Hong Kong preparing the groundwork for Sino-Philippine talks. China refused to participate in the case or recognize the ruling, and strongly criticised the United States for encouraging its ally to pursue the matter, according to AP.
“The Chinese court’s ruling is China’s way of saying that it has the right to continue to do what it wants in the South China Sea, despite the verdict from the global court in favor of the Philippines”, Kaplan told Business Insider in a previous interview. China has repeatedly denied doing so, saying the facilities were for civilian and self-defense uses, and in turn criticized USA patrols and exercises for ramping up tensions in the region.
China is building three types of hangars on Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef, and Mischief Reef.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually.
The think-tank said in a report there was little evidence that China had deployed military aircraft to the outposts, but the “rapid construction” of reinforced hangars suggested that was likely to change.
The operations by Chinese coastguard vessels amounted to the biggest show of strength since 2013, when eight ships entered Japan-administered waters.
China has installed a radar with potential military functions in a disputed area of the East China Sea, Japanese media said Sunday, in the latest flare-up of tensions between the two countries.
“They’re reinforced to take a strike”.
Japan said on Monday it would respond firmly after Chinese government vessels intruded into what Japan considers its territorial waters near disputed islands in the East China Sea 14 times at the weekend. “We will closely watch China’s response”. Beijing had refused to take any part in the proceedings and said it would ignore the ruling.
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Chen Qinghong, a researcher of Southeast Asian and Philippine studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that Ramos’ remarks send a positive signal and provide an opportunity for the two countries to rebuild political trust and amend their relationship.
