Satellite Images Suggest China Miiiiiight Be Lying

When it’s China’s word versus satellite images presented by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, who are you going to believe? The US repeatedly asked – nay, begged – to refrain from militarizing their holdings in the South China Sea, but perhaps the Chinese thought that was merely a suggestion. Pictures taken in late July reveal hangars and spaces for fighter jets in the Spratly Islands, though China denies any military-grade construction is being used for military. Maybe air force hangars really are the new condos? After an international court in The Hague ruled against China’s sweeping claims to the South China Sea, the international community worried that tensions were mounting. China still feels it owns most of these waters, much to the annoyance of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, who all have claims of their own.