China to build island city on the artificial islands in the South China Sea

Beijing/Washington: Defying the United States-China has announced the building of an Island city on the artificial islands in the South China Sea. The Chinese administrative official declared that this island city will be used for civilian settlements. But the United States has objected to this building of Island city accusing that this is a huge military base being built under the disguise of an Island city. Meanwhile, last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had criticised the Chinese military movements in the South China Sea. After that, China has announced building the island city, showing that it does not pay any heed to the threats of the United States.

China will be building the island city on the Woody islands of the Paracel group of Islands, in the South China Sea. The Island city will be built on the Tree Island and Drummond Island, built by China, along with the Woody Island. Zhang June, Secretary of the Communist party in the southern Chinese province of Sansha, gave this information. A pro-Chinese news agency informed that this Island city is a dream of the communist rulers in China and National Key Strategic Service and Logistics base will be created there.

China has claimed its rights over the Paracel islands, like the other parts of the South China Sea. China has claimed that Woody Island and the nearby island groups are a part of the Sansha Province. But Vietnam has claimed a sovereign right on the Paracel island group saying that they are 185 miles away from Sansha. But China, defying the Vietnamese claim, has built a chain of artificial islands in the Paracel region on the basis of its military might. The artificial islands in the Woody Island belt also are a part of the same initiative.

China has built an 8850 feet long airstrip on the Woody Island and Chinese fighter as well as freight aircraft have landed on this airstrip. In the last few years, China had declared that there were Chinese civilian settlements created on these islands. China announced building an island city on these islands and settle more civilians here, in 2012.

The United States had strongly objected to this Chinese announcement. The United States has been accusing China of building artificial Islands for the militarisation of the region. The United States has also alleged that China has militarised the Woody Island. The Hangars for fighter jets, deployment of anti-aircraft and anti-warship systems and communications systems are proof of militarisation of the island. Therefore, the United States has claimed that the announcement of the building of an Island city on Woody and two more islands is just a façade. Thereafter, China had deferred its Island city plans.

There already is tension reigning between the United States and China over the trade war. At the same time, China is objecting to the patrolling by the US warships and aircraft in the South China Sea and has threatened military retaliation. Now China has created a stir by announcing the implementation of the Island city. US analysts and media are claiming that the announcement of the island city will add to the existing tension between the United States and China.