Vietnam, Philippines protest Chinese test flight on disputed reef
Published: Jan 3, 2016 9:14 p.m. ET
New airfield could project China’s military power in South China Sea
Getty Images
A satellite image from April 2015 of China’s airfield construction on Fiery Cross Reef.
By
Te-Ping
Chen
BEIJING — China said it landed a test flight on a newly completed airfield in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, a sign of its growing military capabilities in the region.
The flight drew a quick protest from Vietnam, which said China had “seriously violated” its sovereignty. A Philippines foreign ministry spokesman said Manila, another claimant in the Spratlys, also planned to lodge a protest with the Chinese.
Read: China’s artificial islands in before-and-after photos
According to a statement released late Saturday by the Chinese foreign ministry, Beijing has completed construction of an airfield on Fiery Cross Reef, and recently used a civil aircraft to conduct a flight testing whether the facilities were up to civil-aviation standards.
The U.S. reacted with concern to news of the Chinese flight, and said it underscored the need to finish work on a regional code of conduct. “We are concerned that these test flights have exacerbated tensions and are inconsistent with the region’s commitments to exercise restraint from actions that could complicate or escalate disputes,” said Pooja Jhunjhunwala, a State Department spokeswoman.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vietnam-philippines-protest-chinese-test-flight-on-disputed-reef-2016-01-03
