A US think tank says China appears to have installed air defense systems on artificial islands it built in the disputed South China Sea.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies on Wednesday released its analysis of satellite photos of the 7 islands built on reefs in the Spratlys.
The center said anti-aircraft guns around 6 meters long and what were likely to be close-in weapons systems had been installed on hexagonal structures on 5 of the islands. Close-in weapons systems are designed to strike down cruise missiles.
The think tank said the existence of hexagonal structures on the remaining 2 islands suggests that similar air defense systems are likely to be installed there as well.
China has earlier built 3 runways and radar facilities on the islands.
The center said the newly installed weapons are intended to counter attacks by the United States and others.
US State Department spokesperson John Kirby on Wednesday refused to directly comment on the report. But he said the US consistently calls on China and other claimants in the territorial dispute to refrain from further land reclamation and the militarization of disputed features.
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