Construction of Chinese military bases pave over coral reefs in South Sea

China has constructed a string of military bases across the Spratly Islands, located in the South China Sea. These "islands" were actually coral reefs, only a little below the surface of the water.

In the process, many pristine coral reefs were destroyed.

Map showing location of Spratly Islands here.



Additional image click here.

Here's a picture of the underwater life in one of the reefs off the Spratly Islands:



Another picture of a reef in the Spratly Islands here.

Several of these pictures were taken in the Spratly Islands as well, amazing:
http://www.divephoto.org/keyword/South China Sea/

And they just paved over all of that with concrete.


article here discussing the environmental damage implications:
http://e360.yale.edu/features/rising_environmental_toll_china_artificial_islands_south_china_sea

The degradation of these reefs could have economic implications for the fishing industry, since many of the fish larvae spend their juvenile life period in the reef.

this article mostly focuses on the aspects of international law:
China condemned for massive coral reef destruction

As you can see, these islands really are not that close to China at all, they are about halfway between Vietnam and the Philippines. Both of those countries are very unhappy about the military bases (though mostly not for environmental reasons). These coral reefs were not part of China's territory, they were essentially in international waters.

 

But China loves the environment and signed the Paris Accord so this just can't be so. China would never do such a thing!

 

If we had any leadership with balls we would have leveled the first island since China is violating international law by claiming those waters as theirs.

 

When's Trump going to war then?

 

Never cause he doesn't have the balls.

 

Get off your horse and drink your milk