Recent satellite images of the South China Sea have many countries very worried. For years, China has been busy building artificial islands in the South China Sea, a 1.3 million square mile body of water that is encircled by the countries of China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines.
Although the South China Sea is basically a vast wasteland of water, it does contain some dots of uninhabited islands that in the past have been the subject of arguments regarding ownership of the lands and surrounding waters. In an apparent end around run, China began building it's own artificial islands that are an extension of China's sovereignty in the region.
Built under the guise of 'urban expansion', the artificial islands have sports fields and basketball courts, but new satellite photos confirm China's neighbors worst nightmare. The photos show that China is militarizing the islands with dozens of structures, runways that can accommodate military jets and a harbor big enough for military tankers. They also show the presence of military vehicles including missile launchers and mobile radar controlling units.
China's building and militarizing has provoked strong reactions from neighboring countries, especially the Philippines, who saw China seize Mischief Reef and Scarborough Shoal, two reefs off the Philippine coast. They brought a suit against China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. On July 12, 2016, the international tribunal ruled against China, who refused to acknowledge the decision or even the court's jurisdiction. U.S.diplomatic attempts on the Philippines behalf failed.
Why is China doing this? It expands their military force in the region and extends their territorial waters and air space which could give them control of the more than $5.3 trillion worth of trade that travels through the South China Sea each year; $1.2 trillion of which belongs to the United States.
There's also the estimated 11 billion barrels of oil in the South China Sea, as well as 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Another motivation to control the South China Sea is fishing. It is one of the most important areas in the world for fishing. 12 percent of the worlds catch comes from the South China Sea. China is currently the largest producer of fish in the world and accounts for 17.4 percent of the world’s fish with over $20 billion in exports.
Unfortunately, many of their artificial islands are built using coral reefs as a base for construction which could have an enormous impact on the South China Sea's delicate eco-system. The ecological damage doesn't end there. According to John McManus, a professor of marine biology:
“The sand and silt stirred up by the dredgers covers most of the lagoon and is settling out on most of the remaining reef. The sand will kill nearly any bottom-dwelling organisms on which it settles in large quantities, and clog the gills of most fish.”
China's expansion of artificial islands has also created a territorial conflict between the United States and China regarding U.S. military operations and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. Arguments by both countries are being heard by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). You can read what UNCLOS is, what it does, both countries conflicting claims, and suggested resolutions by clicking here.
Related Reading:
Beijing cements South China Sea land grab with missile defense sites while the world awaits US response
What Makes China's Fake Island Military Bases in the South China Sea So Dangerous
Why is the South China Sea so important to the U.S.?
