Aerial photos reveal China military bases across South China Sea - 247 News

Описание: AERIAL photos reveal how China has turned a string of disputed islands into fortresses bristling with military hardware.Beijing has defied international agreements and sent dredgers to build up uninhabited reefs in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.One island - which a UN court ruled belongs to the Philippines - now has a two-mile runway, a port and multistorey concrete barracks.Photos taken between July and December last year reveal the results of a huge contruction project over the past three years.Radar stations, communications towers, and helipads can be seen on the reclaimed coral atolls.Previoulsy missile launch silos and gun emplacements were spotted on satellite images.China's continued military build-up has alarmed its neighbours in the region while the West's attention was on Kim Jong-un's nuclear ambitions in North Korea.Islands in the Spratlys and the nearby Paracel Islands are claimed by a number of countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.The are strung out in disupted waters, which are rich in oil and gas reserves and sit close to one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.Beijing insists its intentions are peaceful but the new aerial pictures - which were taken below 5,000ft and were obtained by the Philippine Daily Inquirer - are sure to inflame tensions.They come weeks after Chinese state TV showed troops guarding installations on Fiery Cross Reef, sparking a diplomatic protest from the Philippine government.Defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana accused China of reneging on a pledge not to militarise territory near the disputed Spratly Islands, known as Nansha in China.He said: "If it's true and we can prove they have been putting soldiers and even weapons systems, that will be a violation of what they said." Fiery Cross is home to a military barracks, a hospital and a greenhouse to supply soldiers stationed there with fresh produce.It and two other larger reefs have long runways that appear ready to receive military aircraft.Cargo ships have been snapped in the ports - believed to be bringing building materials and equipment - and Chinese warships have also been spotted.In December, Beijing defended its construction on disputed islands as "normal" after a US think tank released satellite images showing the deployment of radar and other equipment.China claims the reefs are being developed to facilitate marine rescues, disaster relief, oceanic research, ecological protection and navigational safety.The military expansion ties into a broader Chinese initiative, called One Belt One Road.The vast infrastructure project, launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping, is set to build a 'new Silk Road' of ports, railways and roads to expand trade across Asia, Africa and Europe.In December we told how China was building a floating nuclear power plant to provide electricity to the islands.China is also said to be building an underwater spy station to observe ships in the South China Sea.Last year it