WEB DESK
A US daily has said that Chinese militarisation of artificially created islands in the South China Sea is threatening the geomorphologic stability of the region.
The Geneva Daily reports that China’s militarization of 20 outposts in the Paracel Islands and seven in the Spratly Islands in the contested South China Sea (SCS) over the last decade has been an issue of grave concern. it said, the militarisation is a threat not only for the countries of the region but for all those that advocate the importance of freedom of navigation. A major limitation of these artificially created islands is their geomorphologic stability. Closer studies reveal that these military outposts, in reality, may not be as formidable as they seem. The Daily also reported that resultantly, the service life of the concrete structures in the South China Sea is estimated to be less than 25 years due to the severe corrosive nature of the water and weather of SCS. While the shortage of freshwater resources, including potable water, is a definite impediment, studies have also revealed that the islands pose a grave challenge to the physical and mental well-being of its long-term inhabitants.