Within a Year, China Would Begin Commercial Flights from Disputed Islands

Amid the growing tension in the South China Sea as China continues to speed up the development of disputed islands and the U.S. has joined the fray by sending 5 Navy vessels, Beijing just added fuel to the fire.

Chinese state media reported on Friday that the country would start to operate commercial flights to Woody Island within a year. The trips would be from the mainland to Sansha City on Woody Islands in the Paracel archipelago.

The archipelago has served as China’s administrative base for islands and reefs it has gained control in the region. Sansha houses base stations for mobile communications of a Chinese police vessel and two passenger vessels.

Besides Sansha’s airfield, China has also built an airfield on Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly archipelago, which Sansha Mayor Xiao Jie said are expected to increase air traffic in the area. However, it is also expected to worsen the tense situation as other Asian countries assert their claim on the islands.

Commenting on reports in Chinese media of China’s plan to operate commercial flights from the disputed islands, Anna Richey-Allen, a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, said the flights would be “inconsistent with the region’s commitments to exercise restraint from actions that could complicate or escalate disputes.”

Richey-Allen added that Beijing must heed its previous commitment to stop land reclamation and militarization on its outposts in the South China Sea. Rather, China must focus on reaching agreement on acceptable behavior in the disputed land, reported Reuters.

But China insisted that it is entitled to limited defensive facilities on its territory, but bellied media reports that it has placed missiles on the islands. China stressed that most of the infrastructure it is building is civilian in nature and would also benefit other nations.