ABC: China's missile deployment is a deliberate provocation

Australia's ABC news network reported on February 17 that China had deployed an advanced surface-to-air missile system to one of the disputed islands in the South China Sea, saying the move increased tensions in the region and further confirmed the correctness of warnings about the militarization of the South China Sea, despite requests for restraint from the United States.

ABC quoted Australian defense analysts as saying that this new move may have been calculated by China to coincide with the US-ASEAN Summit and the visit to China by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

Image shows the air defense missile system that China brought to Phu Lam Island (Source: Fox News)

In recent days, the Australian Defence Force has been monitoring China’s equipment shipments in the South China Sea. This decision by China has surprised military leaders and they believe that this is a deliberate provocation, which will certainly escalate tensions in the region.

Speaking to ABC, a senior defence source said that if China only deployed surface-to-surface weapons, that would be one thing, but deploying surface-to-air missiles was a completely different matter.

Meanwhile, Dr. Euan Graham of the Lowy Institute for International Policy agreed that this was an escalation, but only "a small step on the ladder."

"I think this is an effort by China to increase its military presence in the South China Sea, but at the same time not to take the most provocative step on some of the artificial islands that we're watching," he said.

Dr Graham said he was not surprised by China's move. "China has already deployed fighter squadrons. If they have aircraft there, the next logical step would be to put surface-to-air missiles to protect them," he said.

Also according to ABC, speaking after meeting with her counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop called on all parties involved in the East Sea dispute to resolve disagreements peacefully.

“Australia does not take sides in the disputes in the South China Sea. We, like China and other countries involved, have an interest in maintaining peace and stability. We urge restraint and call on all parties to resolve the disputes peacefully,” she said.

According to Vietnam+