March 21, 2022

A top US military commander on Sunday again hyped the so-called militarization by China in the South China Sea by personally participating in an aerial close-in reconnaissance on Chinese islands and reefs in the region together with journalists, which is a move that Chinese analysts said on Monday could be a political farce attempting to copy the Ukraine crisis in the Asia-Pacific, rallying allies, partners and other countries in the region to confront China.

US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral John C. Aquilino claimed on Sunday that China has "fully militarized" at least three of several islands it built in the South China Sea by 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," AP reported on Monday.

Aquilino made the remarks on board a US Navy P-8A reconnaissance aircraft that flew near the Nansha Islands, including the Meiji, Zhubi and Yongshu reefs, and the aircraft was repeatedly warned by Chinese callers that it illegally entered Chinese territory and should move away, AP reported.

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