China Expands Island Construction in Disputed South China Sea

China has muted its claims, while quietly constructing artificial islands on top of four reefs, along with piers, a cement plant and landing place for helicopters, as shown by commercial satellite images, report Jeremy Page and Julian E. Barnes for the Wall Street Journal. “China appears to be building a network of island fortresses to help enforce control of most of the South China Sea – one of the world’s busiest shipping routes – and potentially of the airspace above, according to experts who have studied the images,” they report. China signed a nonbinding agreement with Association of Southeast Asian Nations on ending such activities. One reef is 338 kilometers from the Philippines, a US ally, and 1062 kilometers from China. China’s strident claims have prompted its neighbors Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei to pursue closer ties with the US. A UN tribunal is considering a complaint from the Philippines, but China is expected to ignore the verdict and rely on the outposts for radar and patrols. – YaleGlobal