China launches ballistic missiles in South China Sea as warning to the U.S.

• As the territorial dispute in the South China Sea escalates, Beijing has launched ballistic missiles into the area as a warning to the United States
• Last two ballistic missiles were launched from different parts of mainland China and converged on an area close to the Paracel Islands
• The missile launch came one day after a U.S. spy plane entered a Chinese no-fly zone without permission
• Chinese officials have called the move a “naked act of provocation” and warned the U.S. against its activities in the South China Sea
• The region is under dispute as surrounding countries each claim ownership of different South China Sea zones
• China claims the biggest area by far, saying roughly 90 per cent of the South China Sea belongs to Beijing

As the territorial dispute in the South China Sea escalates, Beijing has launched ballistic missiles into the area as a warning to the United States.

Last week, two ballistic ‘aircraft carrier killer’ missiles were launched from different parts of mainland China and converged on an area close to the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. One missile came from the northern Chinese province of Qinghai and the other from the eastern province of Zhejiang.

The missile launch came a day after a U.S. spy plane entered a Chinese no-fly zone without permission. The plane flew over an area over China’s north coast where the Chinese navy was conducting a live-fire exercise.

#USNavy guided-missile destroyer #USSMustin conducts freedom of navigation operation near Paracel Islands in South China Sea: https://t.co/xRJ0UT93w2 #DDG89 #FreeandOpenIndoPacific @US7thFleet pic.twitter.com/0W76xiMtyW

— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) August 28, 2020

Beijing’s Ministry of Defence spokesperson, Wu Qian, called the move a “naked act of provocation”.

China’s Global Times, a state-run tabloid, touted the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) ability to hit sea targets in “coordinated, saturated attacks against which there is no defence”.

The fact that the missiles were launched from different directions to converge on the same spot makes them harder to intercept by sea vessels.

The Global Times also spoke highly of the PLA’s “complete system to detect, track and lock on enemy ships”.

“The system, which possibly consists of reconnaissance aircraft, radar, satellites and warships among others, can direct and coordinate missiles to find moving maritime targets, so they can adjust their trajectories when initiating the final attacks after re-entry,” the article said.

#China will neither “dance to the U.S. tune” nor let the #US make a mess, China’s Ministry of National Defense spokesman said on Thursday.

China hopes the two sides can strengthen crisis communication to maintain and promote the overall stability between the two militaries. pic.twitter.com/65sIM8Cwwx

— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) August 27, 2020

What’s the dispute about?

Last week’s missile launch was the latest move in an ongoing dispute over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Surrounding countries — which include China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Malaysia — all claim ownership of certain parts of the South China Sea area, through which it is estimated over $4 trillion of trade passes every year. However, no claim is quite so substantial as China’s.

Beijing claims ownership of roughly 90 per cent of the region. This claim, however, has been lambasted by several countries.

Both Australia and the U.S. have openly criticised and rejected China’s claims to the area, which have been labelled as unlawful.

United States naval strike groups have been conducting a series of military exercises in the region since July.