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Circumstances indicate that China has constructed a facility presumed to be an early warning radar on an island in the Paracel Islands, a contested maritime area in the South China Sea known in China as the Xisha Islands.
According to Reuters on the 26th local time, a commercial satellite image captured by the provider Vantor on the 17th revealed a new type of structure on Tree Island (Yagung Dao) in the western Paracel Islands.
An analysis of other satellite images showed that construction related to this facility began in March and April.
While the exact purpose of the facility has not been confirmed, experts have raised the possibility that it is an early warning radar facility in its initial stages.
Vantor explained that some facilities on Tree Island are similar to military radar or early warning facilities identified in other parts of the South China Sea, and noted the possibility that they are linked to the military functions of Antelope Reef (Lingyang Jiao), located about 14 kilometers to the northeast.
China has reportedly recently completed the first phase of construction for large-scale artificial island reclamation at Antelope Reef.
According to satellite images released by Reuters on the 19th, the artificial island created there reaches a length of about 6 kilometers, and a straight coastline stretching over 3 kilometers was also identified.
Experts believe that a runway could potentially be built in this section in the future.
In addition, a pier approximately 680 meters long has been constructed, and building construction, including a helipad, has reportedly begun.
Citing analyses from security experts and military officials, Reuters reported that Antelope Reef could be utilized as a stronghold to strengthen China's military influence in the northern South China Sea in the future, such as by equipping surveillance facilities or supporting nuclear-powered submarines.
Observations suggest that if the newly spotted facility on Tree Island develops into an early warning radar, it could support future facilities on Antelope Reef.
The Chinese side has denied analyses that the Antelope Reef construction project serves military purposes.
China's state-run Global Times claimed on the 21st that the construction underway at Antelope Reef is intended to improve living conditions for fishermen and expand public services.
The outlet explained that fishermen's housing facilities had repeatedly suffered damage from typhoons in the past and that supplies of electricity and drinking water were difficult, prompting China to build fishermen's residential areas, install desalination facilities and power plants, and expand infrastructure by dredging and opening shipping routes.
(File Photo: Getty Images)
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