China claims control over most of the South China Sea.
Published: August 4, 2025 1:25 AM IST
New Delhi: The Chinese Navy is increasing its presence in the South China Sea. China has spread its feet in this disputed water area with a network of military bases spread over 3,200 hectares. It has even placed some nuclear bombers here. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), which monitors maritime security issues in Asia, has made this claim based on satellite pictures of Mischief Reef.
What do satellite pictures show?
Satellite pictures show China’s huge runway, missile shelter, large aircraft hangar and many high-level military infrastructures. It looks like a city. AMTI’s Gregory Poling told ABC that China has placed 72 fighter jet hangars on three large island bases with ports and large runways. Apart from this, bases for surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, radar sensing and communication infrastructure are included.
What is the status of China’s control over the islands?
According to AMTI, China controls 20 posts in the Paracel Islands, including seven in the Spratly Islands. Four of these have been fully developed as naval and air bases. China also controls Scarborough Shoal, which it occupied in 2012. However, it has not built any facilities at this disputed site.
Satellite images from March this year show that China has landed two of its advanced H-6 long-range bombers in the disputed Paracel Islands of the South China Sea. These pictures revealed bombers stationed on Woody Island, appearing there for the first time since 2020 and highlighting Beijing’s growing military presence in the region.
What is China’s motive?
The US military base located in this region sees H-6 bombers as a potential threat. They were deployed in manoeuvres around Taiwan last October. These have flown close to the USA for the first time in July last year. According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies, China’s Southern Theater Command, responsible for the South China Sea, operates two regiments of H-6 bombers.
China claims control over most of the South China Sea. This clashes with the claims of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. In 2016, an international tribunal ruled that Beijing’s claims had no legal basis, but China rejected it.