At present, China, has achieved impressive success in the economic sphere, It seeks to expand its political influence and unhindered access to transport corridors and resources sources. AT 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping to promote multilateral trade and investment projects with the participation of as many countries and using Chinese capital took the initiative “One belt - one way”. Today joined its implementation more 120 States and dozens of international organizations. The initiative brings together two projects: “Economic zone of the Silk Road” (It involves the formation of a common Eurasian economic and trade space and transcontinental transport corridor) and “Maritime Silk Road of XXI century” (maritime trade development). Approximate duration of the projects - 30 years. In addition to other tools, for the realization of the goals needed a powerful navy and modern combat aircraft with long range.
Prerequisites for the establishment of naval bases outside the mainland of China
At present, China's leadership is implementing a program of modernization of the armed forces, which should allow to successfully confront US military power in the conflict with the use of conventional means of warfare. Many experts say, that China is not just building a modern fleet, and implementing the most ambitious in the world program of naval construction. And it is likely, that China will lead the naval arms race in the near future. But to ensure the stability of supply and combat naval, operating in the world's oceans, needed basis, where warships could carry out repair and replenish supplies. In China, this problem try to solve in two ways: the creation of databases on the coast of other countries and the construction of military bases in the disputed island territories. So, at the beginning 2017 year from the Government of Djibouti signed an agreement on the establishment of the Chinese base in the port of Obock, on the shores of the Gulf of Aden. According to the Chinese authorities, base in Djibouti is designed to carry out operations against pirates on the African continent, as well as to assist UN peacekeeping missions.
AT 2019 , the US military issued a report, which states:
China's leaders are using the growing economic, diplomatic and military prestige of the country to establish regional superiority and expansion of the country's international influence. China's progress in the implementation of the initiative “One belt - one way” probably, lead to the creation of military bases abroad in connection with the perceived need to ensure the safety of such projects. The opening of the Chinese military base in Djibouti should be considered in the context of already observed for a number of years, the trend of expansion of Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean and in the Mediterranean and the future changes of China's role in matters of global and regional security. China will strive to create new military bases in the countries, with whom he had a long-standing friendly relations and similar strategic interests, eg, Pakistan, and in respect of which there is already a precedent for foreign military accommodation. Besides, China can place the base in the Middle East, in South-East Asia and Western Pacific. The Pentagon says, that China already has experience in the establishment of military bases in the disputed territories in the South China Sea.
Territorial disputes over island territories accessories
China for decades is a dispute with several countries in the region over the territorial jurisdiction of a number of islands in the South China Sea, through which a set of trade routes. In particular, we are talking about the Xisha Archipelago (Paracel Islands), Nansha islands (Spratly) and Huangyan (Scarborough reef). In the dispute to some extent involved Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. The most tense situation is around Scarborough Reef, Senkaku Islands, and the southern Spratly Islands, on the shelf which, It is believed, there are large reserves of oil and gas. The water area of the South China Sea is of strategic importance - through these sea lanes, and through Malaccan strait extends approximately 40% international trade traffic and transported to 80% Chinese import volume of oil and gas.
China regularly demonstrates the increased power of the PLA Navy near disputed islands. So, 26 December 2016 , the Chinese aircraft carrier "Liaoning" Bashi Strait entered the disputed waters of the South China Sea and passed near the Pratas archipelago, Taiwan is under control. aircraft carrier accompanied: two destroyers project 052C, one destroyer project 052D, two 054A frigate project, ASW corvette project 056A and 903A supply ship project.
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Before this Court of Arbitration in The Hague identified, that Beijing has no right to the disputed territories in the South China Sea. In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, that these islands since ancient times is an integral part of China. Yet 1947 year, two years after the surrender of Japan, China issued a map, where the state border in the South China Sea has been designated as a so-called line devyatipunktirnoy. zone, covered by this line, to include 90% the region, including the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Reef. China's leadership is still using documents 1947 year as the main argument in the dispute, Expressing his “historical rights” the territory. AT 1992 year, China passed a law "On the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone", according to which the Paracel Islands and Spratly archipelago declared an integral part of China. In November 2012 , the Chinese government published a document, which it stated the right of the Chinese province of Hainan police "planted, inspect and take control of foreign vessels, which entered the Chinese waters of the South China Sea ".
Senkaku archipelago
One of the main sources of tension between China and Japan is a territorial dispute on the ownership of the Senkaku Islands (Chinese name - Diaoyu). The archipelago is located in the East China Sea 170 kilometers north-east of Taiwan.
Before World War II the islands Kubadzima and there Uotsurisima 2 Japanese fishermen settlement. AT 1945 , Japan lost all territories, acquired in the XIX century. Senkaku together with Okinawa came under US jurisdiction. In the early 1970s, and Okinawa Senkaku were returned to Japan. after 20 years, after it became aware of the existence in the area of a large natural gas field, China's leadership has stated, that does not agree with this decision,, announcing in 1992 year this territory "native Chinese". At the initial stage it seemed, that the parties fail to agree. but in 2010 , negotiations have been stopped, after Japan detained a Chinese trawler near the disputed Senkaku Islands and arrested its captain.
Their claims Chinese authorities confirmed by real actions. AT 2004 year Japanese military detained Chinese citizens, landed on the Senkaku. spring 2011 , the Chinese oil company CNOOC has begun to develop the Chunxiao gas field, located on the Chinese side of the line, of which Japan shared the economic zones of the two countries. This caused protests Japanese, since Tokyo considered, it has access to a common gas reservoir of the East China Sea.
The situation around the Senkaku escalated in July 2012 of the year, Once in the area there were Chinese patrol ships. Concerning, 15 July "for consultations" was recalled Japan's ambassador to China. In August 2012 the year in a number of Chinese cities have passed anti-Japanese demonstrations, ended pogroms Japanese shops and cars in Japan. The reason for the performances served as a fact of landing on disputed island group of Japanese citizens and Japanese flag hoisting there. In mid-September, there were warships PLA Navy in the vicinity of the archipelago, and in the airspace over the islands repeatedly invaded the Chinese long-range bombers and aircraft patrol aircraft.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said, that if Japan did not give up the unilateral claims to the islands, China believes that historically belonging to it, the incident could face "serious consequences". later about 1000 Chinese fishing boats have started fishing in the area and the Senkaku 2 of 11 Chinese military patrol ships, plying near the islands, entered Japanese territorial waters. 6 Martha 2018 Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said, that Dyaoyyudao island (Senkaku) prynadlezhat China, regardless of, that says or does the Government of Japan.
Scarborough Reef
In addition archipelagos, located relatively close to their own shores, China also claims the islands, in close proximity to other countries. Currently, China and the Philippines evince territorial claims to the uninhabited piece of land, located in the South China Sea 230 km from the Philippine island of Luzon. A few stones sticking out of the water, forming a protected from waves lagoon, are called Scarborough Shoal, and the largest area of land, extending to a height 1,8 meters above sea level at high tide, It is known as the Scarborough Reef (on the international map) and the island Hongyan (China maps). The shallow waters of Scarborough form a triangular chain of reefs and rocks with a perimeter 46 km. It covers the area 150 km². The atoll lagoon provides shelter for fishing schooners, and there are a lot of fish in its vicinity.
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Chinese authorities state, that Hongyan is a primordially Chinese maritime domain, since supposedly ancient treatises have preserved materials about, that Chinese fishermen came here to fish in the 13th century. The Philippine authorities declare, what if Scarborough is in 230 km from the coast of Luzon, the, according to international canons, it is Manila who has every reason to consider this piece of land its. Nevertheless, from 2012 by 2016 year, Chinese patrol ships prevented Filipino fishermen from entering the area. The Philippine leadership hoped for US support in the territorial dispute with the PRC, but americans, limited to conducting naval exercises, chose not to aggravate relations with China once again.
Spratly Island
Another potential hotspot is the Spratly island archipelago with an area of over 400 thousand. km², located in the southwestern part of the South China Sea. It consists of more than 100 islets, reefs and atolls, total land area less than 5 km². The center of the archipelago is located in 400 km from the islands of Palawan and Kalimantan, at 500 km from the coast of Vietnam and 1000 km from the Chinese island of Hainan. According to expert estimates, this area has significant oil and gas reserves., as well as rich fishing industry.
About 45 islets and reefs until recently were occupied by small military contingents from Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Philippines and Taiwan. It is difficult to call them full-fledged military bases., these are rather military posts in the form of small structures on piles. But a lot has changed recently.
The active actions of the PRC to seize the Spratly Islands began in 1988 year, when at Reef Johnson there was a battle between Chinese and Vietnamese warships. During the battle, three Vietnamese and one Chinese patrol boat were sunk..
As a result, China captured seven reefs and atolls, creating a foothold to further expand its sphere of influence. China currently maintains a military presence in 9 islands, Vietnam controls 21 Island, Philippines 8 islands, Malaysia has posts on 3 islands. Despite, that this territory is removed from the Chinese coast farthest, it is the PRC that shows the greatest military activity, sending warships to this area and carrying out flights of patrol aircraft, and also carries out an allusion of artificial islands.
China has not limited itself to patrolling waters in the past, adjacent to the disputed islands. Several capital reinforced concrete structures were built in shallow water, where observation posts were placed, communication centers and radar stations. About five years ago, the PRC leadership launched a large-scale reclamation program to create artificial islands., known in the West as the "Great Wall of Sand". For the first time this name in March 2018 used by the commander of the American Pacific Fleet, Admiral Harry Harris. Artificial islands were created by sanding up coral reefs, which were then concreted to create a coherent structure. At the same time, the Chinese representatives stated, that construction is intended to “improve the working and living conditions of people, located on these islands ", and that “China seeks to provide asylum, navigation and, if necessary, emergency assistance to foreign ships of various types, and also provide a more accurate weather forecast ". Since the delivery of rocky soil from the mainland of the PRC is too expensive and takes a long time, to create artificial islands, sand is mainly used. A whole flotilla of ships was created in the PRC to build the Great Wall of Sand, intended for sand washing, delivery of rocky soil from the mainland of China and the technology of mass pouring of large-sized concrete foundations has been developed.
AT 2016 it became known, that China has built the world's largest ship, designed for sand washing - Tian Kun Hao ("Creator of the Magic Islands"). Its performance is 6000 m³ sand per hour.
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TO 2016 year in place of a piece of land poured at high tide, called Johnson's Reef, and a small post on stilts with a garrison of fifteen people appeared an artificial island with an area 0,11 km². Despite its small size, this is a full-fledged land area with capital buildings and structures.. In addition to navigation beacons, a pier has been built on the island., large ship, administrative and residential building, communication center, Helipad, several radars and warehouses.
The military presence of the PRC was also noted on the Quarteron Reef, where to 2016 there was a supply platform installed on piles. At the moment, you can see an artificial island here, about 0,08 km².
The island has mooring facilities with a protected inner harbor, capital buildings, Helipad, navigation beacons and radar post.
The same story happened with Reef Gaven. To 2014 there was a small platform here. Now it is an outpost of the PLA Navy with a capital pier, helipads, radars and ready positions for the placement of anti-ship and anti-aircraft systems.
AT 40 kilometers south of Gaven Reef on the Hages Reef, in three years, another artificial island about 600 m and width at the widest point - up to 310 m.
The construction of the island was carried out according to the technology previously tested on other islands of the archipelago.. The infrastructure of the artificial island is similar to other objects, built in the area.
AT 2014 year began work on reclaiming an artificial island in the Yubi Reef area. Before reclamation began, it was a horseshoe-shaped closed atoll with a length of 6,5 km, width 3,7 km. The depth of the lagoon reached 25 m.
As of 2016 year area of artificial island, poured on the site of the Yubi Reef, reached 5 km². The construction of an artificial island was started for the construction of an air base with a capital runway length 3250 m and width 60 m. The first civilian airliner of the Chinese company Hainan Airlines lands on the Yubi runway 13 July 2016 of the year.
The island also has airspace monitoring radars, terminal building, Commercial, 20 concrete shelters, 2 helipads, warehouses and storage of fuels and lubricants. There is a residential area in the northwestern part of the island, where is the artificial park, there is a tennis court and a football field. According to American intelligence, on the island of Yubi there are anti-aircraft and anti-ship missile systems on a permanent basis.
Paracel Islands
Paracel Islands are in 230 km south of Hainan Island and in 200 km east of the Vietnamese coast. The archipelago consists of 15 islands, as well as reefs and shallows, located on the territory 46 thousand. km² within a radius of approximately 100 km. Its length from west to east is 180 km, and from north to south - 170 km, the total area of the islands is about 7,8 km². Significant hydrocarbon reserves lie in the immediate vicinity of the islands. According to US experts, they make up 11 billion. barrels and 5,9 trillion. cubic meters of gas.
In January 1974 of the year, taking advantage of, that the South Vietnamese regime in Saigon was on the verge of military defeat, and the Americans had no time to support their ally in the confrontation with China, The PLA Navy after the battle with the South Vietnamese ships landed troops on the Paracel Islands. According to official data, killed during the operation to capture the islands 53 Vietnamese and 18 the Chinese.
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AT 2012 the Paracel Islands were merged into the Sansha Urban District, with a population of about 2000 human. The district has jurisdiction over more than 40 reefs and islands, located on an area of about 80 000 km². according to information, published by the American think tank CSIS, military infrastructure facilities are being built on the Paracel Islands. Full-fledged runways with shelters have been built on four islands, workshops, fuel storage. A number of islands have experienced significant harbor expansion, where large warships and transport ships can enter. Although the Chinese military presence in the Paracel archipelago has been growing since the beginning of the 21st century, the main activity of the PRC in the specified area developed in 2014 year, when China began to create artificial islands in the zone of disputed archipelagos. Construction went at such a pace, that in April 2015 Admiral Harry Harris, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, worried: “At the moment, the Chinese have already created about 4 km² of land ". Since then, the area of artificial islands in the South China Sea has increased many times..
The largest military base was built on Woody Island, where there are two artificial harbors, capable of receiving ships with a displacement of up to 10 000 t. TO 2014 the original area of the island 2,1 km² was increased by about 30%. Reconstruction in 2007 year, a major runway with a length of 2350 m, erected in 1990 year. Capital concrete shelters were built, fuel and ammunition storage, new residential buildings for military and service personnel. The island's internal water supply comes from rainwater harvesting. Additional drinking water supplied from Hainan Island. Desalination plant, built in October 2016 of the year, capable of handling 1000 tons of sea water per day.
According to official Chinese figures, now on Woody Island is constantly about 1200 human. Most of them work as shift shifts for 6 months. About half of the island's population is military and police.
Chinese Central Television has repeatedly shown stories, in which the Chinese military, stationed on the islands of the archipelago, demonstrate a willingness to repel a possible invasion.
J-8II combat aircraft have been seen on the airstrip in the past, JH-7A and Su-30MK2. Anti-submarine helicopters are located here and patrol aircraft are landing..
According to US data, a squadron of J-11 heavy fighters is currently based on the island on a permanent basis. Fighters are deployed in well-protected reinforced concrete shelters, which can only be hit by a direct hit of large-caliber ammunition. These hideouts are spacious enough, which allows full service of aircraft, being inside. In the event of an aggravation of the situation, the number of combat aircraft on Woody Island can be rapidly increased several times..
Woody Island has now become a true naval fortress. There are concreted areas not far from the runway, designed for the deployment of short-range air defense systems HQ-6A. A two-axle trailer with a 30-mm seven-barreled anti-aircraft gun Toure has been added to the control center of this anti-aircraft missile system. 730 with radar-optical guidance system. It is believed, that this increases the capabilities of the HQ-6A complex to destroy low-altitude air targets. This complex is not on combat duty on an ongoing basis and is in shelter, protecting it from adverse meteorological factors. Satellite imagery shows, that he is regularly placed in positions for training purposes. Unlike longer-range systems, the HQ-6A missile and artillery system is designed for direct air defense against low-altitude air attack weapons located in the line-of-sight aisles.
There are several mobile and fixed radars on the island. Stationary radar post with radar located on reinforced concrete towers and antennas, covered with radio-transparent fairings, located at the northwestern tip of the island. Powerful stationary radars are capable of detecting high-altitude air targets at a distance of over 400 km, large sea targets can be detected at ranges up to 200 km.
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An HQ-9A anti-aircraft missile system battalion deployed on an artificial beach in the western part of the island, with a range of destruction of high-altitude targets up to 200 km. Constant radar control of the airspace in the presence of anti-aircraft missile systems of various ranges and modern jet fighters, allows you to create over islands, controlled by China, effective anti-air umbrella.
US media, referring information, obtained from intelligence sources, write about the presence of mobile anti-ship missile systems on Woody Island. maybe, we are talking about anti-ship missiles C-803 with a launch range of more than 200 km. It can also be YJ-62C anti-ship missiles - with a range of more 300 km or heavy missiles YJ-18, capable of fighting surface ships at a distance of up to 500 km. Chinese coastal anti-ship complexes should receive target designation at over-the-horizon range from surface ships, patrol aircraft Y-8X / J / G / Q and AWACS aircraft KJ-200/500, based in Hainan, which is about half an hour from Woody. Z-18 helicopters were also spotted at Woody airbase on satellite images.. Among these machines there may be a Z-18J radar patrol helicopter.. According to Western experts, heavy unmanned aerial vehicles Xianlong and Divine Eagle can be used to patrol the waters adjacent to the Paracel Islands, UAVs of this type are permanently deployed at Anshun airbase in Guizhou province in the southeast of China..
Beyond Woody Island, military facilities appeared on other islands of the Paracel archipelago. AT 2014 year began intensive work to increase the area of the island of Trie, whose area was previously 0,22 km². Currently, the territory of the island has approximately doubled. The infrastructure also appeared here, allowing to receive cargo from transport ships, Helipad, warehouses and radars.
Mani Island area 0,36 km² located in the south-west of the Paracel archipelago. AT 2009 construction of several concrete towers began here, designed to accommodate radars. Currently on the island, the length of which at high tide does not exceed 1300 m, five powerful radars are in operation.
According to US military experts, Duncan Island, nestled in the center of the archipelago, is the basis of anti-submarine defense and radio intelligence of the PLA Navy in the area. As with other islands, its area was significantly increased after 2014 of the year.
On Duncan Island with an area of about 0,5 km² located, at least, six radars, there is a large communication center, several helipads and hangars. The dimensions of the inner harbor allow to receive large transport and warships. According to official Chinese sources, Duncan Island hosts a space object tracking center.
AT 2016 the runway was put into operation, built on the Fieri Cross reef (Yongshuai), which is located halfway between Vietnam and Malaysia. Work on the reclamation of the artificial island began in 2014 year. And two years later, a piece of land with an area of 3 km² and Nansha airbase with runway length 3160 m, which all types of Chinese fighters and bombers can land on. First passenger Boeing 737 Chinese airline China Southern Airlines Holding Company landed in Nansha 6 January 2016 of the year. Also, patrol Chinese aircraft regularly land at the island air base..
AT 2018 year the main construction work on the island was completed, and now it can accommodate a full-strength fighter regiment, bombers, carrying anti-ship missiles and anti-submarine aircraft.
Available commercial satellite imagery shows, that in addition to the GDP, large hangars were built, concrete shelters, warehouses, fuel storage, as well as capital residential and office premises. In the northeastern part of the island, on both sides at the exit from the artificial harbor, there are radio-transparent domes, under which there may be antennas of radars and satellite communication systems.
Infrastructure was erected at an accelerated pace on the island reclaimed in two years, necessary for the full functioning of a large military base, the number of personnel of which can reach several thousand people.
The inner harbor of the island allows for ocean-class ships. Satellite imagery shows, that corvettes and destroyers of the PLA Navy are regularly moored at the quay wall. Delivery of goods to the island is carried out as civilian transport ships, and large landing ships. Satellite images show the visit of the island by large landing ships pr. 072-II full displacement 4800 tonnes. BDK of this project with a cruising range of about 3000 miles, can take on board up to 300 marines and 10 tanks.
AT 250 kilometers west of the Philippine island of Palawan is the Disaster Reef, which at high tide was almost completely filled with water. AT 2015 year despite protests from Manila, China has begun reclamation work here.
A year later, an artificial island appeared here along the perimeter of the lagoon., in the western part of which construction began on the Rei Meiji airbase with a runway length 2644 m. 13 July 2016 of the year a passenger plane of China Southern Airlines landed on the runway.
Given the active objections of the Philippine authorities to the construction of an air base on the island and the relative distance from the PRC coast, from the very beginning, all work in this area was carried out under the protection of warships of the PLA Navy. According to US data, on an artificial island about 0,7 km² are located radars and anti-aircraft complexes of the near zone.
More recently, the South China Morning Post reported, that a research institute at the Chinese Academy of Sciences is developing a portable power nuclear reactor with the prospect of placing it on one of the disputed islands in the South China Sea. Development is partially sponsored by the PRC army, and the first reactor in China is expected to be received through 5 years. obviously, that such statements are China's open challenge to its rivals in the Pacific, and primarily the United States. The increased economic power of the PRC is being transformed into an increase in the capabilities of aviation and navy, who require well-equipped bases in the oceans. De facto entrenched in the disputed islands and turning them into "unsinkable aircraft carriers", the Chinese authorities can afford to ignore the opinions of other states, conducting a dialogue from a "position of strength".
Linnik Sergey
