Article

2022-05-11 Southeast Asia

Imagery shows China still building on Subi Reef in South China Sea

[BenarNews] Recent satellite imagery shows that China is continuing to actively develop its facilities on the disputed Subi Reef in the South China Sea, two months after a top U.S. commander said Beijing had "fully militarized" it.

Simularity Inc., a U.S. geospatial intelligence company, said that an analysis of satellite imagery from May 5 has revealed new structures and seven active construction sites on Subi, the coral reef occupied by China since 1988 but also claimed by the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

In March, the U.S. Indo-Pacific commander Adm. John C. Aquilino said that the construction of missile arsenals, aircraft hangars, radar systems and other military facilities at Subi Reef, as well as Mischief Reef and Fiery Cross "appeared to have been completed."

Subi is one of several major bases that China built during a massive dredging and artificial island-building campaign in the Spratlys that began in 2013, creating 3,200 acres of new land and giving it a new strategic foothold in the South China Sea.

In its natural state, Subi is what is known as a low-tide elevation and an international tribunal in 2016 ruled that as it is submerged at high tide, Subi is not an island but considered "sea bed" and the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) constructions on the reef are illegal. China rejected the ruling.

Until now, China has reclaimed 976 acres on Subi, according to the Asia Maritime Initiative (AMTI) at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The seven active construction sites are located in the northern and southern parts of the reef, with visible presence of trucks, construction equipment and material, Simularity said.

"A significant amount of sand" is seen at the sites, indicating new roads and structures are being built. At one site in the south, there are new walls and parking lots, Simularity said, without drawing further conclusions about the possible function of the sites under construction.

EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT
Subi (Zamora in the Philippines) Reef lies just 12 nautical miles from the Philippine-administered Thitu Island, which is the second largest natural feature in the Spratlys after Taiping (Itu Aba) Island, occupied by Taiwan.

China has developed it into a military base that can accommodate a garrison of 200 troops and a helipad, according to Philippine officials.

AMTI says there are a number of important structures on Subi, including a large lighthouse, five hangers that each can accommodate 20 combat aircraft, and an over 3,000-meter airstrip, completed in early 2016.

Aquilino said in March that the function of China’s artificial islands is "to expand the offensive capability of the PRC ... They can fly fighters, bombers plus all those offensive capabilities of missile systems."

"They threaten all nations who operate in the vicinity and all the international sea and airspace," he added.

China’s Civil Aviation Authority said it successfully tested a civilian flight on Subi in July 2016, using a Boeing 737 airplane, "further enhancing its capability to provide public services as a responsible player in the region."

The Philippines and Vietnam both protested against the test flight which is not known to have become regularly scheduled.

Posted by trailing wife 2022-05-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11130 views ] Top
File under: Commies

#1 Let's see how it survives a typhoon hit

Posted by Frank G 2022-05-11 07:04|| 2022-05-11 07:04|| Front Page Top

#2 Let's see how it survives a MOAB.

Posted by DarthVader 2022-05-11 08:56|| 2022-05-11 08:56|| Front Page Top

#3 Can you say Olonga-Po in Chinese? 12 miles to Philippine-administered Thitu Island.
The island serves as the town proper to the municipality of Kalayaan. Only Island, among all Philippine-occupied Spratly islands, currently inhabited by 300 Filipino civilians. a significant number of structures, including a municipal hall, multi-purpose hall, health center, school, police station, coast guard station, marine research station, water-filtration plant, engineering building, marina, communication tower, and military barracks.

Posted by NoMoreBS 2022-05-11 11:48|| 2022-05-11 11:48|| Front Page Top

#4 Where's the Halliburton Deep Sea Dredging Division when you need them?

Posted by Raj 2022-05-11 14:43|| 2022-05-11 14:43|| Front Page Top

#5 China is turning inward. it has the critical mass for a self sustaining domestic economy as long as Russia is their partner for energy. The trio with India makes the entire region from the Mediterranean Sea to the Solomon Islands (and Australia if they want to turn chinese, LOL ) the perfect world for an economy. That's why the original silk road developed organically thousands of years ago. The need for resources to build stuff makes the even more sense for the new silk road. The Subi Reef it’s a sort of an air-carrier and hyper sonic base to protect their business from AUKUS interference and piratery. As the anglos and USA show the real intention that the Davos pirates had in mind regarding Russia.

Posted by Acapulco Joe 2022-05-11 18:31|| 2022-05-11 18:31|| Front Page Top

#6 ^ Absolutely. The Chinese Communists are your friend
I liked this: The Subi Reef it’s a sort of an air-carrier and hyper sonic base to protect their business from AUKUS interference and piratery. As the anglos and USA show the real intention that the Davos pirates had in mind regarding Russia.

Hey, Joe! Might you not actually be from, say, Acapulco?

Posted by Frank G 2022-05-11 21:32|| 2022-05-11 21:32|| Front Page Top

#7 Aca joe was a famous apparel brand in the 70 and 80s. I was involved with until 2007, and yes I lived there great memories. Baby o’. La Huerta Rebecca , El Campanario.

I’m in Malibu, retired now

Posted by Acapulco Joe 2022-05-11 21:51|| 2022-05-11 21:51|| Front Page Top

#8 Wikipedia:

ACA JOE[1] is a clothing line for men, women, boys and girls that originated in Acapulco in the 1970s.[2] By. 1978, ACA JOE was well established as a clothing retailer, with over 75 stores in various cities throughout Mexico, including: Acapulco, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Mexico City.[3] ACA JOE specializes in well-designed cotton clothing inspired by the beach lifestyle of Acapulco.[4]
Joseph Rank, a Los Angeles clothing designer, is the founder and owner of ACA JOE. The company's major growth came after Rank teamed with Harry R. Kraatz and William A. Meyer, in the early 1980s to take over the Inmar Corporation. Inmar's retail outlets were transformed into ACA JOE stores and the company name was changed to ACA JOE INTERNATIONAL.
In the mid-1980s, there were more than 100 ACA JOE stores around the U.S., and the company's stock was the fastest rising stock on Nasdaq in 1985. The company's stock was deleted from the Nasdaq over-the-counter trading system on April 1, 1988, because of the company's failure to meet Nasdaq's capital and surplus requirements.[5]
In the 1990s, ACA JOE focused on its market in Mexico and was sold in over 35 shopping center and beach stores and featured in the Palacio de Hierro department stores. In the 2000s (decade), ACA JOE was sold in the Liverpool department stores and Costco in Mexico.
Since 2007, ACA JOE has been exclusively sold through La Comercial Mexicana and Soriana in Mexico. The logo was designed by Mexican American artist Joe Vera.[6]

A regional success story that survived the fad phase, as most do not. Well done!

Posted by trailing wife 2022-05-11 23:17|| 2022-05-11 23:17|| Front Page Top

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