China has been talking about peace and offering assistance in various forms in its bid to establish good relationship with its neighbors in the region.
But the spiel, which has carried away the Philippines up to the point that it forgot its dispute with Beijing in the West Philippine Sea, belies a different story in the South China Sea (SCS).
China has not stopped its construction activities in the disputed territory, while it showered the Duterte administration with cash, equipment and other forms of assistance. In fact, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (ATMI) of the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies described 2017 as a “constructive year for Chinese base building” in the SCS.
“While pursuing diplomatic outreach toward its Southeast Asian neighbors, Beijing continued substantial construction activities on its dual-use outposts in the Spratlys and Paracel Islands,” it said.
The construction activities involved buildings that ranged from underground storage areas and administrative facilities to large radars and arrays of sensors.
“The facilities account for 72 acres, or 290,000 square meters of new real estate at Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys and North, Tree and Triton Islands in the Paracels,” the ATMI said.
In the Fiery Cross Reef, Beijing worked on structures that were spread in 110, 000 square meters of artificial land and seen as larger hangars alongside an airstrip; underground buildings for munitions and other materiel; a large communication building, radar facilities and missile platforms.
The construction of large underground tunnels, which began early this year, has also been completed and “entirely buried.” The tunnels, which were reportedly built for storing ammunition and other war materiel, joined other previously constructed underground facilities, which included for water and fuel.
“In the last several months, China has constructed what appears to be a high-frequency radar array at the north end of the island. It consists of a field of upright poles, similar to those erected at Cuarteron Reef in 2015,” the ATMI noted.
In Subi Reef, Beijing worked on buildings dotting 95,000 square meters of land. The construction included buried storage facilities, hangars, missile shelters, radars and a high-frequency antenna for signal intelligence.
“Like at Fiery Cross, the new storage tunnels at Subi were completed and covered over in the last few months. They join other buried structures on the islet, including large storage facilities,” the ATMI said.
With the construction of the radar facility and the high-frequency antenna, the ATMI believed that China will substantially beef up its intelligence capabilities.
In Mischief Reef, Beijing commenced its building of facilities covering 68,500 square meters of artificial land. The facilities included radar and communications systems, and underground storage for ammunition and other war materiel.
It has also completed this year its construction of hangars and missile shelters and new radar and communication facilities.
“The new storage tunnels at Mischief Reef were completed over the last several months and have been buried, joining previously built underground structures,” according to the ATMI.
During the Asean summit recently held in the country, Beijing and Manila have vowed to strengthen their relations by signing cooperation agreements on defense, military and other issues in the security sector, including terrorism.
Beijing has also provided the Philippine military with rifles and had promised to deliver more armaments.
Meanwhile, China continues building more structures in the disputed territories in the South China Sea.
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The Philippines must face the results since these were triggered by the Philippines.