A US official has confirmed that China has deployed surface-to-air missiles on a disputed island in the South China Sea, as the United States expressed growing concern over China’s increased “militarisation” in the region.
Fox News said earlier in the week that images showed two batteries of eight missile launchers and a radar system had arrived on Woody Island, the Paracels’ main island.
“We believe the photos are accurate and that China has deployed SAMs to Woody Island,” a US official told AFP, referring to surface-to-air missiles. The official said the missiles appeared to be HQ-9s, which have a range of about 125 miles (200 kilometers). Experts say they could be used to target enemy
aircraft.