Indra Strata:

A recently acquired satellite image reveals the existence of a Chinese air defense installation on the Paracel Islands, leading experts to believe that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) now has a permanent presence of surface-to-air missiles in both the disputed South China Sea archipelagos.

The Paracel Islands (also known as the Xisha in Mandarin) are the subject of claims by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. However, since 1974, they have been entirely under Chinese control, following a brief but violent naval battle in which the Chinese Navy triumphed over the South Vietnamese Navy. In addition, some of the Spratly Islands (also known as the Nansha in Mandarin) are also occupied by China, even though several other countries in the region, including Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, claim them.

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