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The article published in the Naval and Merchant Ships magazine of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) – the navy’s shipbuilding unit, based in Beijing, indicated that the above bases “are the only poison in distant seas. “And away from mainland China and other islands in widely contested waters that stretch more than 3.3 million square kilometers.
This article states that the islands that China accumulated in the South China Sea [hành vi trái phép bị dư luận quốc tế kịch liệt lên án – ND] They have their own advantage in defending China’s so-called national sovereignty, maintaining a military presence in vast seas, but they themselves also have natural weaknesses related to defenses.
China has defiantly claimed sovereignty over almost the entire area of the South China Sea and since 2014 it has been operating illegally, enlarging reefs on artificial islands, militarizing them with airstrips. design of rockets and other weapons systems.
Until now, the United States has deemed China’s claims in the South China Sea illegal. Washington has opposed activities by sending warships to exercise their right to free movement near islands occupied by Beijing or to unilaterally claim sovereignty.
With the extremely important strategic position of the South China Sea, any country that controls this sea zone also means having power over one of the world’s vital trade routes.
The Naval and Merchant Ships magazine gives an example of the stone cross of the Spratly Islands of Vietnam, but it is illegally occupied by China, 1,000 km from the city of Sanya on the island of Hainan, which means that the support ships If you are traveling at the highest speed, it will take you a day to reach the island.
Although some islands have runways for planes to take off and land, sea coverage is limited and most fighters that can be deployed there will be difficult to fly to artificial islands. others in a timely manner while ensuring efficiency. These planes will have to spend most of their fuel traveling between islands.
China currently has two active aircraft carriers that could theoretically be deployed in the South China Sea, but would have to be within range of these islands at the time of war.
Can’t China defend the artificial islands in the South China Sea?
The article added that Chinese bases on artificial islands are easy to tip over. Due to their remote location, they could be the target of the long-range missile system of the US, Japan, or naval forces in the area. And even if these outposts were not attacked, they were easily blocked, making it impossible for the forces garrisoned there to receive supplies.
According to the article, most islands have only one runway and there is no space for multiple aircraft to support them at the same time. In the event of a conflict, which means that one aircraft is unloading or refueling on the runway, the other aircraft cannot reach the runway.
Not to mention the track near the sea, which affects the tides and the tropical climate. The magazine also said that artificial islands are too small to survive big attacks. Most of the islands are flat and have very little vegetation or rocks. This means that there is very little cover to defend against attack and the shelters built on the island offer “very limited” resistance to attack.
There are other issues that make protecting the islands especially difficult, says Malcolm Davis, senior defense analyst and analyst at the Australian Institute for Strategic Policy.
“The harsh environmental conditions in the South China Sea (corrosive salt water, bad weather) make it almost impossible to deploy anything on the islands in the way that they can protect these bases. Modern planes won’t work for a week or so on these islands, “Davis said.
According to Davis, while some of the islands may be as effective as the springboard, they will also be among the first targets to be attacked if conflict occurs in the South China Sea, and mechanically not. A defensible island could be built on the original foundation of reefs and coral reefs.
Davis does not hesitate to point out: “What China is trying to do is monopolize, control international waters and, for that, it needs a regular presence there. But it’s clear that while they may feel like they have enough to make a territorial claim, it’s not really a realistic long-term move because they can’t really defend those bases. “/.
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