PLAN SCS Bases/Islands/Vessels (Not a Strategy Page)

Which island/reef is shown in this photo?

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JayBird said:

There seems to be a new campaign of Chinese land grabbing in South China Sea propaganda in the western media lately. I've read like 6-7 articles about these reclamation projects by China the last two weeks or so. And all of them are very one sided and bias towards China.

And the new pics posted by A.man today are the best quality so far. Thank you for the nice high quality pics, but these photos might soon becoming new ammunitions for China threat in South China sea again.

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the US, japan and the Philippines are gearing up for the upcoming Shangri-La dialogue. that will be the most high profile anti china event, and this year the topic will be china's island building projects. this is all just a warm up.

It's good that at least no one here have a problem with Chinese newspapers

mr.bean said:

the US, japan and the Philippines are gearing up for the upcoming Shangri-La dialogue. that will be the most high profile anti china event, and this year the topic will be china's island building projects. this is all just a warm up.

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I'd expect China critics to moderate their displeasure a bit at the 2015 Shangri-La Dialogue, because China was so displeased with the 2014 rant-fest that it mentioned an alternative forum to Shangri-La. The Philippines is expected to paint China as the Mongol Horde, but most other countries might embrace enlightened self-interests, and skirt the grey line between voicing their legitimate concerns and upsetting the Dragon for little or no gain. In any case, it should be an entertaining event, and I'm looking forward to seeing the speeches on Youtube.

Janiz said:

It's good that at least no one here have a problem with Chinese newspapers

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Hey, since you seem to be so familiar with Chinese newspapers, maybe you should post some of those articles for us to discuss, eh?

How about from Filipino media? Interesting to note, they mark Vietnamese claim line practically on par with the Chinese claim line. Four of the Chinese possessions are west of the Philippines' EEZ boundary. All of the Chinese possessions are west of the 116 E Meridian. Don't believe Vietnam's EEZ is anywhere near from the west side. None of the Chinese possessions are within the Malaysian claim line.

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by Norman P Aquino
April 20, 2015

Expanded war games in the South China Sea between the Philippines and its allies are inappropriate and run counter to efforts to ease territorial tensions in the waters, China’s state-run Global Times said in an editorial.

The comments come as more than 11,000 soldiers from the Philippines, U.S. and Australia are set to take part in the joint drills near contested islands, with the Philippines’ military chief calling China’s building work on disputed reefs “worrisome” and a source of with its neighbors.

Twice as many troops as last year will join the exercises off Palawan province. Disputes over the sea, of which China claims about four-fifths under a so-called nine-dash line drawn on a 1940s map, have escalated as China expands the reach of its military to back its territorial interests.

While Philippine President Benigno Aquino says the drills aren’t targeted at China, “few believe he means it,” the Global Times said in Tuesday on its English-language website. “Can anyone believe that China can be bluffed to make compromises when others show off their military muscle? We will simply find it laughable while imagining Philippine personnel stumbling after U.S. forces.”

“The thunder of guns made by Washington and Manila there is inappropriate and of little use.”

China’s caused unease among neighbors such as Vietnam and the Philippines, which also claim some of the area. It has raised concern among countries that use the sea lanes for trade and commerce, General Gregorio Pio Catapang told reporters in Manila on Monday. “The size of this reclamation is making us wonder what the real intention is,” he said.

‘Military Purposes’
China’s reclamation “will cause tensions among claimant countries not only because it could deter freedom of navigation but also due to its possible military purposes,” Catapang said.

The military drills, which run until April 30, seek to “improve our interoperability and enhance our national defense capability,” Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Evan Garcia told reporters after the opening of the annual -- shoulder-to-shoulder in Filipino -- exercises on Monday. “Our armed forces needs to improve its own capacity in order to better serve and protect our country.”

Catapang said a U.S. plan to deploy advanced air force and naval equipment in the Philippines is in the works.

“We will offer them facilities that we can jointly use because of the situation now obtaining in the West Philippine Sea,” he said, referring to the South China Sea.

U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Harry Harris, who has previously described China as building a “great wall of sand” in the area, said in a speech on Tuesday in Jakarta that China is “responsible for a rise in tensions and provocations in the South China Sea.”

Mischief Reef
Even so, Admiral Harris said he didn’t think there was a risk of a major “force-on-force” conflict in the waters. “I have to be ready for that, but I’m concerned about the small tactical actions that have strategic consequences throughout the region.”

China has often stated its right to carry out construction work in the South China Sea, with recent satellite photos showing images of Chinese dredgers at work at Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, a feature also claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Asked at a regular briefing in Beijing about the Balikatan drills, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China called on countries to work together to boost security in the South China Sea, and “contribute to regional peace and stability.”

‘More Wisdom’
China continues to offer bilateral negotiations to solve territorial disputes, the Global Times said.

“However, the Philippines insists on diverting to another path even after meeting obstacles,” it said. “We wish Manila can deal with the issue with more wisdom.”

Aquino will bring up China’s reclamation work at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia next week, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Luis Cruz told reporters on Monday in Manila. “We would always aim for a collective statement, this time on the issue of the reclamation of some features in the South China Sea,” he said.

Cruz said Vietnam had sought a meeting with Aquino at the summit.

Catapang also accused China of tolerating environmentally harmful fishing practices by its fishermen occupying Scarborough Shoal. Chinese boats drove away at least 80 Filipino fishermen from the shoal on April 9, the Inquirer newspaper reported.
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China says it is more than willing to turn the South China Sea into a platform for cooperation.

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2015-04-17 10:26 Xinhua Editor: Gu Liping

Despite China's repeated assertions on upholding peace in the South China Sea, rhetoric about China creating military threat in the region has been ratcheted up.

The most recent example is Philippine President Benigno Aquino's accusation that China's efforts to claim most of the South China Sea should "engender fear for the rest of the world."

Aside from the fact that the claim is groundless, using maritime disputes to peddle fear of China is irresponsible and of no value in settling the disputes. It is fearmongering for the sake of fear.

China's work on some of the Nansha Islands landmasses in the South China Sea falls entirely within its sovereignty.

The root cause of the territorial disputes between the two countries is Philippines' occupation since the 1970s of some of the Nansha Islands. It took them with force.

China's work on the islands mostly serves civil purposes apart from meeting the needs of military defense. China is aiming to provide shelter, aid in navigation, weather forecasts and fishery assistance to ships of various countries passing through the sea.

Moreover, as China embarks on building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR), the trade and infrastructure network that will connect China with Southeast Asian nations, Africa and Europe, it is more than willing to turn the South China Sea into a platform for cooperation.

Running contrary to this vision. the idea of China sealing off shipping lanes or thwarting fishing activities is but ill-intentioned speculation.

Aquino's vague expression that "there was no guarantee that shipping lanes vital to global trade would remain open" suggested he was making assumptions.

Worse, he used the assumptions to support another ungrounded assertion that China's activities should spark fear all around the world.

Touting "China fear" based on assumptions is an audacious move. However, the Philippines is emboldened as it is merely echoing messages coming from the United States.

Just days ago, Barack Obama accused China of using its "sheer size and muscle" to bully smaller claimants such as the Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea disputes.

The Philippines has over the years appealed to the sympathy of the international community and military protection from the United States, and created the mirage that China is a bully.

The trick is easy to sell as it caters to the U.S. penchant of hyping fear of China's intentions, particularly in evidence as it worries needlessly over the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Fear will only escalate tension and rivalry. China holds the position that the disputes should be settled through direct negotiation and candid dialogue.

China is moving in this direction, with a meeting earlier this month between Premier Li Keqiang and the chief of the Vietnamese Communist Party establishing consensus on handling the disputes.

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Geographer said:

Which island/reef is shown in this photo?

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@Geographer
This is Nanxun or Gaven Island. I have another photo which shows the pic in correct aspect ratio.

The photographer is using a very high resolution camera. When the pictures are magnified, they can see the details.