{"id":25815,"date":"2022-03-20T15:26:12","date_gmt":"2022-03-20T15:26:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/03\/20\/china-fully-militarized-isles-indo-pacific-commander-says\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:50:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:50:00","slug":"china-fully-militarized-isles-indo-pacific-commander-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2022\/03\/20\/china-fully-militarized-isles-indo-pacific-commander-says\/","title":{"rendered":"China fully militarized isles, Indo-Pacific commander says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

OVER THE SOUTH CHINA SEA \u2014 China has fully militarized at least three of several islands it built in the disputed South China Sea<\/a>, arming them with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile systems, laser and jamming equipment and fighter jets in an increasingly aggressive move that threatens all nations operating nearby, a top U.S. military commander said Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Indo-Pacific<\/a> commander Adm. John C. Aquilino<\/a> said the hostile actions were in stark contrast to Chinese President Xi Jinping\u2019s past assurances<\/a> that Beijing would not transform the artificial islands in contested waters into military bases. The efforts were part of China\u2019s flexing its military muscle, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think over the past 20 years we\u2019ve witnessed the largest military buildup since World War II by the PRC,\u201d Aquilino told The Associated Press in an interview, using the initials of China\u2019s formal name. \u201cThey have advanced all their capabilities and that buildup of weaponization is destabilizing to the region.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were no immediate comments from Chinese officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n