China continues to show the world it is beyond the U.N. Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling on the South China Sea by announcing on Friday, just four days after the verdict came out in favor of the Philippines, that it plans to launch a series of offshore nuclear power platforms.
According to the China Securities Journal, Beijing would build 20 offshore nuclear platforms in the South China Sea, some islands of which the PCA said belongs to the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, reported Reuters. Beijing defends the decision as aiming to speed up the commercial development of the region, but the move is expected to worsen the tension in the area.
The Chinese daily said Bohai Heavy Industry, subsidiary of state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, would build the first floating nuclear reactor as well as the remaining 19. The platform is expected to provide energy and fresh water to the Nansha Islands, which is the Spratly Islands that the PCA said is within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
But an expert said that the plan to construct 20 offshore nuclear platforms is old and only being repeated in reaction to the PCA ruling.
Besides the offshore nuclear platforms, the Associated Press reported that China just announced the holding of military exercises in the South China Sea. Hainan Province’s Maritime Administration said it would close the area southeast of Hainan from Monday to Thursday. However, it did not provide details on the nature of the exercises.
After the PCA ruling, China landed to civilian planes on new airstrips in Mischief and Subi reefs, which the tribunal said belong to the Philippines, and its coast guard blocked Philippine fishing boats from coming near a dispute shoal.