SAMs in the South China Sea Will Extend China’s Regional Control

In a recent move to step up control over the South China Sea, China has moved Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) on to Woody Island, part of the Paracels Island Chain. The island has been Chinese-controlled since 1956. Taiwan and Vietnam also have made their claims of control.

China has not denied or admitted the presence of SAMs on Woody Island, but only claimed China has had defenses on the island for years.

$5 trillion in trade every year go through the South China Sea, making it a vital Asian trade route. While numerous different island chains and reefs have been contested for years, China has ramped up its militarization of the region in the past 18 months.

Over the past year and a half China has drastically increased its construction of artificial islands, and has pushed itself further into contested areas. China even went as far to build on top of a reef already claimed by the Philippines in the Kalayaan islands. While Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Philippines have all constructed artificial islands; none matches the intensity of China’s effort.

China’s artificial reefs are becoming home to expanded airstrips for use with military aircraft. By expanding their military across the region, China will be able to dictate trade routes and who can trade. With no other nation being able to challenge the Chinese, they would simply have to play by China’s rules.

Aside from islands and reefs, the South China Sea is home to a plethora of natural resources, especially natural gas and oil. Securing the majority of these reserves would allow China to exercise greater energy independence and possibly become more involved in the oil market.

China has been rapidly militarizing over the past several years, and not just in the South China Sea. China’s military spending is suspected to reach up to $145 billion, a 10.1% increase from the previous year.

The U.S. has voiced criticism of China’s South China Sea activities many times, and has been patrolling the area to ensure the freedom of navigation. China’s foreign ministry has claimed its island construction will not interfere with the freedom of navigation or overflights, yet U.S. planes have been warned to divert their course when flying near the islands.

China’s placement of SAMs suggests they may be prepared to enact an Air Defense Identification Zone in the South China Sea, similar to the ADIZ they enacted in the East China Sea November of 2013. The danger in China establishing an ADIZ in the South China Sea is they would be establishing its borders far larger than the internationally recognized border.

The U.S. further tested China when it sailed a warship 12 miles off the coast of Triton Island, a Chinese controlled territory in the Paracel Island chain. While China did not engage the ship they warned the U.S. of future maneuvers that may provoke conflict.

Yesterday, Gordon Chang, a writer for Forbes and Daily Beast, was a guest on Secure Freedom Radio. Chang emphasized that the U.S. must work closely with regional countries to counter China. If the Chinese are able to get away with this, other nations around the world may try to close off their waters to trade. However, Chang was skeptical that any action the U.S. and regional countries take would drastically alter China’s behavior.

As China’s influence throughout Asia continues to grow and despite U.S. announcements of a “pivot to Asia” in 2011, U.S. ability to project power in the region remains on a decline. As a result, it’s likely China will continue to act to advance its South China Sea policy relatively unhindered.