South China Sea missile tests aimed at boosting Beijing’s bargaining power, analysts say
- Beijing wanted to flex its military muscle as tensions continue to rise in disputed region, observers say
- With trade talks set to restart, show of strength might give Chinese negotiators a few more chips to put on the table
By test-firing anti-ship ballistic missiles in the South China Sea over the weekend, Beijing was flexing its military muscle and boosting its bargaining power ahead of the next round of negotiations with the United States, analysts said.
“When you’re about to sit back down at the negotiating table, you want more cards in your hand, and this was a tactic [to achieve that],” Shanghai-based military scholar Ni Lexiong said.
Maritime safety authorities in the city of Sansha – on Woody Island, also known as Yongxing Island, in the disputed Paracel group – issued a navigation warning last week saying an area of the sea would be off limits during a five-day drill, though it did not mention missile tests.
The Pentagon did not specify the type of missile fired, but observers have suggested it might have been the DF-21D, a land-based weapon also known as the “aircraft carrier killer” that has a range of 1,500km (930 miles) and made its first public appearance in 2015.
If confirmed, it would be the missile’s first launch in the increasingly tense sea, where the PLA has built outposts on disputed reefs and the US Navy conducts regular freedom of navigation operations.
Ni said China was feeling the pressure from the US not only in economic terms because of the trade and technology war, but also because of Washington’s support for Taiwan and Hong Kong.
“The ultimate backing for diplomatic effort is absolute power, military might,” he said. “And in the case of the US, that’s their 11 aircraft carrier strike groups. But the DF-21D is something that could pose a threat to that.”
Beijing-based military expert Zhou Chenming said China always said its military exercises were pre-scheduled and not targeting a particular adversary, but the Pentagon statement suggested the US was also feeling the pressure.
China reveals details of new facilities on Spratly Islands
He said the US comments might also have been the reason the authorities in Hainan removed their restrictions earlier than planned on the part of the South China Sea where the military exercises were taking place.
Beijing announces drill in South China Sea as US report cites missile test
The maritime safety administration initially had said the prohibited zone would remain in place from early Saturday morning until Wednesday night, but lifted the restriction on Tuesday.
“China probably didn’t want to over provoke the Americans,” Zhou said.
