Map courtesy of Stratfor
Just last week, satellite imagery showed evidence of more Chinese-led construction and reclamation in the disputed area, Reuters reported.
The new dredger, expected to go into service next year, isn’t designed to stir up trouble, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Wednesday. But South China Sea claimants are wary.
“The mere presence is a little bit concerning,” Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was quoted by local media as saying. “Where it is going, we do not know … We are constantly monitoring the movement of the ship.”
The new dredger, currently conducting patrols, is more powerful than previous ones used in the South China Sea, noted Bonnie Glaser, senior Asia advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“Eventually, the Chinese might dredge more,” she warned, adding that it would likely occur after Beijing deploys military assets such as aircraft and navy ships to existing islands.
