Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by janrinok on Saturday May 30 2015, @03:33AM   Printer-friendly

U.S. surveillance imagery has spotted weapons on artificial islands in the South China Sea:

The U.S. imagery detected two Chinese motorized artillery pieces on one of the artificial islands built by China about one month ago. While the artillery wouldn't pose a threat to U.S. planes or ships, U.S. officials said it could reach neighboring islands and that its presence was at odds with China's public statements that the reclaimed islands are mainly for civilian use.

"There is no military threat," a U.S. official told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday. "But it is about the symbolism."

While posing no military threat to the U.S., the motorized artillery was within range of an island claimed by Vietnam that Hanoi has armed with various weaponry for some time, the American officials said. Vietnamese officials didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

A Chinese Embassy spokesman in Washington wouldn't comment specifically on the weaponry, but said its development work within the Spratly Islands—known by the Chinese as the Nansha Islands—was primarily civilian.

China's first white paper on military strategy [single page], published on May 26th by the State Council Information Office, reveals that China is planning to project naval power beyond its offshore borders and focus on "open seas protection." Additional BBC reporting.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2015, @03:46AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2015, @03:46AM (#189977)

    The motorized artillery pieces are peaceful travelers who made a pit stop on the island.

    Starting Score:    0  points
    Moderation   +1  
       Funny=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Funny' Modifier   0  

    Total Score:   1  
  • (Score: 3, Funny) by Snotnose on Saturday May 30 2015, @06:21AM

    by Snotnose (1623) on Saturday May 30 2015, @06:21AM (#189999)

    They're just set pieces for Survivor: New China Islands.

    --
    Why shouldn't we judge a book by it's cover? It's got the author, title, and a summary of what the book's about.