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Insight: China breaks promises and militarises South China Sea reefs

3rd May 2018 - 10:22 GMT | by Gordon Arthur in Hong Kong

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News has emerged from a US television network, likely leaked by US intelligence sources, that China has installed two missile types onto three of its reclaimed reefs in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

The weapons allegedly include long-range YJ-12 anti-ship cruise missiles and HQ-9B surface-to-air missiles (SAM). They only moved to their new locations on Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef within the past 30 days.

The supersonic YJ-12 (export name CM-302) has an alleged range of 400km against ships, while the HQ-9B can target aircraft and approaching missiles out to a range of 200km.

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