A photo of Swallow Reef shown on Gansu Network Television. (Photo/China Times)

The People's Liberation Army's land reclamation activities in the South China Sea have seen it accused of changing the status quo of the disputed maritime region. Chinese military analysts have responded by citing Malaysia's "occupation" of Swallow Reef, stating that not only have they turned the reef into an island, they have also built a runway there, according to our sister paper Want Daily.

Malaysia also recently announced that it would equip its navy base in the vicinity of the South China Sea with an air defense system, a measure widely interpreted as being carried out with China's expansion in the region in mind, the paper said.

Chinese military commentator Song Zhongping decried the reports in overseas media outlets that say China is changing the status quo in the South China Sea during a recent appearance on Jue Sheng Hai Lu Kong, a program on Gansu Network Television, the title of which translates to "Victory Navy, Army, Air Force."

Construction within Nine-dash Line

Song said other countries, particularly other claimants in the region, are trying to change the status quo, especially within the nine-dash line Beijing uses to mark its claim to almost the entirety of the sea's islands and archipelagoes. "This is China's inherent territory but unfortunately several countries are occupying reefs and islands within China's nine-dash line, countries including Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. These countries continue to rope in other countries, such as the US and Japan, to support their claims," Song said.

Malaysia Upgrades Defense with China in Mind

Song cited the example of Swallow Reef, stating that Malaysian soldiers have been stationed on the reef since 1983, that the reef has now been expanded into a large island and that runways have been built on it. The Philippines meanwhile has built a runway on Thitu Island (called Pagasa in the Philippines and Zhongye Island in China), he said.

At the end of January, Malaysian defense minister Hishammuddin Hussein announced that the country will provide the Royal Malaysian Navy base on Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah state, with an advanced air defense system. Overseas analysts have stated that China has made more and more incursions into Malaysia's special economic zone in the South China Sea, showing up the limits of the country's navy and forcing them to upgrade the naval base's air defense systems.

Swallow Reef

Swallow Reef, currently administered by Malaysia but also claimed by Taiwan, China and Vietnam is an atoll in the disputed Spratly islands. The reef originally had a surface area of 0.1 square kilometers, but now measures 0.35 sq km, after 30 years under Malaysian administration. As well as establishing a naval base on the island in 1983, the country has also developed the tourism industry there, establishing a luxury resort on the island. On March 5, 2009, then Malaysian prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi visited the reef in person to promote Malaysian sovereignty of the island; Beijing protested the visit.