Tensions Swell as China Lands Civilian Plane on Islands in S China Sea
SputnikNews.com
05.01.2016
Chinese foreign ministry officials confirmed on Saturday that a test flight by a civilian plane landed on one of the islands in the South China Sea, the first time Beijing has used a runway in the area.
The landing was not a surprise, as China has been building runways on the artificial islands for over a year.
China’s first landing of a plane on one of its new island runways in the South China Sea shows Beijing’s facilities in the disputed region are being finished on schedule and military conflicts will certainly follow, foreign officials and analysts said, Reuters reported.
Following China’s plane landing, Vietnam launched a formal diplomatic protest, while Philippines Foreign Ministry spokesman Charles Jose said Manila planned to do the same. Both have claims to the area that intersect with China.
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