Why Is China Building Islands in the South China Sea?

Having just watched a program on BBC news investigating claims that China is Building new Islands in the South China Sea I thought this is an ominous sign that along with everything else that is happening in the world right now war may well be coming.

I'm not a Doom porn merchant and to be honest I haven't followed any of the WW3 threads so this may have been discussed but I searched and found no dedicated thread for it , so here's a heads up if you don't know.

According to the report, China “is building substantial new islands on five different reefs.” Wingfield-Hayes notes that no one is certain what China plans to do with the new islands. The Philippine government has expressed concerns that one, Johnson South Reef, will be the home to a new South China Sea airbase. However, it’s equally possible that China plans to install civilian populations on the new islands to bolster its sovereignty claims. China, the Philippines, and Vietnam all maintain small civilian outposts in the South China Sea as a way of legitimizing their claims (and deterring military actions by other claimants).

When asked about the BBC report, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying reiterated China’s position that “China’s activities on relevant islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands fall entirely within China’s sovereignty and are totally justifiable.” When pressed on the purpose of the construction, Hua said that the work was “mainly for the purpose of improving the working and living conditions of people stationed on these islands.”

What followed was a shockingly testy exchange for a Chinese press conference. A reporter fired back at Hua: “Given the fact that those islands China works on are new islands, there is no way that construction on them is for improving the living conditions of inhabitants on those them. What are the true purpose and intention of China for doing this? [all sic]” Hua’s response was both short and unenlightening: “I have already answered your question.”
thediplomat.com...

With both Russia and China in expansionist moods I find this a worrying development , if the islands are for military purposes and the rumors that one will become a new airbase are true then I feel the writing may be on the wall and we could well be moving into a new hot war rather than a cold one.

The program isn't available online but there is an excerpt which shows two of the new islands and the construction work taking place.


This on it's own isn't a sign that war is coming but taken with everything else that is happening between the west and east I find it a worrying signal that all is not well , I was a teenager in the 80s and remember the time of Mutually Assured Destruction , to be honest I sense more danger today than I did then.
I just hope common sense prevails.

"With both Russia and China in expansionist moods I find this a worrying development"

This is news to me! Would you mind expanding on this "expansionism"

China is building an airfield out of that little island, not a military base per se. Japan actually did the same thing to a relatively nearby island. It's really just to make it more affordable to patrol their claim to that part of the sea.

a reply to: Kukri

Russia has annexed Crimea and China sees the South China Sea as its own hence claims on islands that they have no rights over and the building of new islands in territories that it doesn't control , I would say that is expansionist.

a reply to: Kukri

Ever hear of a place called Crimea?

Or any island in the South China Sea?

Maybe you haven't...

a reply to: OpenMindedRealist

Yeah so Russia ensured possession of some multi-billion dollar naval station on land that was originally theirs in the first place and China has always laid claim to those islands. Hardly expansionist intentions I would say. Unlike certain other countries who feel legitimized through their so called right to maintaining a "sphere of Influence".

Can you actually give me a legitimate recent example of these two countries expanding their borders (preventing secession doesn't count).

a reply to: Kukri

I dunno, can you first admit that historic borders are irrelevant today, and that Crimea belongs to the sovereign nation of Ukraine?

Also you will need to recognize that simply claiming territory doesn't make it yours, especially when others are legitimately contest that claim.

a reply to: OpenMindedRealist

Well I guess the US needs to give Guantanamo Bay back to Cuba along with all the other properties they have military bases on.

a reply to: gortex

They are no joke going to start using their leverage to become the worlds major powerhouse and as my grandmother always said they are going to march across the US starting in California.

We think were badass but theres power in numbers and they have many numbers including GDP.

a reply to: Kukri

You would be in the minority though , you just need to search Chinese Expansionism to find several countries have the same opinion.
Meeting the Challenge of Chinese Expansionism on the East Asian Littoral

Philippine president compares China's expansion to Nazi Germany

Well if China exhibits the kind of expansion and intrusion that some NATO countries have then I'll start worrying. Because they'd have to be building some pretty big ass islands to catch up.

I wonder what oil is in the area near it either way it will be about resources but hey it is called the South China sea after all and with all the cheap oil they are buying and storing maybe they have gone all Saudi on us and want sand islands as well

a reply to: onequestion

Good point onequestion and when you read about the "thousand year plan" you get an idea of how committed the Chinese are to fulfilling their goals. Something the West has no concept of as we are lucky to be able to conceive a "ten day plan".

They are a massive force to be reckoned and although they may seem to have alliance with other countries they can wholly operate on their own.

Expect them to start getting more aggressive, theres a reason they are doing what they are doing.

a reply to: gortex

It seems it won't be long before Philippines and many Southeast Asian nations will be under the rule of China due to it's expansionist ambitions.

originally posted by: Kukri
a reply to: onequestion

Good point onequestion and when you read about the "thousand year plan" you get an idea of how committed the Chinese are to fulfilling their goals. Something the West has no concept of as we are lucky to be able to conceive a "ten day plan".

They operate as a unit, a single entity and they manage their politics on a macro scale in the same way. When they decide something it happens. No 2 party system, no red tape, they dont listen to anyone.

Smart people.

Or maybe they just want a playground.
i.ytimg.com...

a reply to: starwarsisreal

WHen the last typhoon was heading for the Philippines, I met a lady from there and said I hoped her family back home would be safe from the elements. She replied that they were in greater danger from the Chinese who have been moving in and bribing the local officials. She said their navy had moved in and was laying claim to their island. Yet we haven't been hearing of any of this.

Under that part of the sea is one of the worlds largest natural gas and oil fields.

Tom Clancy wrote a book called "ssn". I think that was the title anywho.
That whole book took place in the spratly islands after the discovery of oil deposits.
He has a history of nailing future conflicts.