China’s “Magic Island Maker” Alarms Neighbor Country

China plans to extend and expand the size of their reclaimed “magical island maker” which they still continue to develop. Their plans for massive reclamation continue despite several different neighboring countries' protest. China used “Tian kun hao” it is a “Chinese dredger” that has been described as “Asia’s most powerful island maker." And “magic island maker” due to its capability to dig 6,000 cubic meters per hour of sand /silt. All this from 35 meters below the water’s surface, a capacity meaning it could dig three standard swimming pools in an hour. The ship was launched at “Qidong in Jiangsu province in November 2017. The ship is apparently named after “a legendary enormous fish which can turn into a mythical bird”.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">rt chinaorgcn [Video] Tian Kun Hao: Heralding a new era of dredging in China <a href="https://t.co/2k8LLbLb2w">https://t.co/2k8LLbLb2w</a> <a href="https://t.co/1awvUnF2TL">pic.twitter.com/1awvUnF2TL</a></p>&mdash; online biz (@onlinetraderbiz) <a href="https://twitter.com/onlinetraderbiz/status/944119223625945088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2017</a></blockquote>

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The size of South China sea island will be expanded in the future with more dredging. “Cheng Xiang Miao” is into regional development and industrialization, urbanization and economic development in China. According to Chen one of China's greatest achievement is its island building in the contested water which will increase the facilities for civilians to live. According to some reports and news, this includes underground storage and airports which are very alarming to its neighbors. Some administrative buildings and the island itself also have a large radar, so they can monitor any movement around the island and sea. Facilities covered about 290,000 square meters (72 acres), according to a new government report.

Beijing says the work is done to help provide international services such as search-and-rescue but admits there is a military purpose as well. China also says it can do whatever it wants on its territory. The new report, posted on a website run by China’s National Marine Data and Information Service and the overseas edition of the ruling Communist Party’s People Daily, says China has enhanced its military presence there “reasonably” expanded the area covered by the island. There has been an increase in military patrols too, and enhance its military defense capability within its “sovereign scope.” A move likely to worry even the US the reported mentioned, without going into specifics.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">China to make disputed islands bigger using &#39;magic island maker&#39;<br><br>Posted on Tuesday Dec 26th at 2:04pm<br>By Audrey… <a href="https://t.co/TAJpTDTEuo">https://t.co/TAJpTDTEuo</a></p>&mdash; Jay Ignacio (@PinoyAk95497299) <a href="https://twitter.com/PinoyAk95497299/status/945820595769434114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2017</a></blockquote>

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The Chinese report generally reinforced a warning by an American think tank which provided satellite imagery showing China’s unceasing construction activities on its artificially-made features in the disputed water. The report was released but appeared in the state-run newspaper the Global Times on December 24.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also have laid claims to parts of the potentially energy-rich waters. Through which about $5 trillion ship-borne passes each year. However, for the past year, the North Korean nuclear crisis has captured the attention of all in Asia, for fear of destruction from the South China Sea conflict.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/12/26/1771936/china-make-disputed-islands-bigger-using-magic-island-maker