中國加強南沙群島水域，空域控制?

A few weeks ago the NHK News on-line reported the following:

南沙諸島 中国が海域・空域の支配強化か

5月8日 0時07分

中国が埋め立てを拡大させている南シナ海の南沙諸島で、中国海軍の艦艇が、フィリピン軍の偵察機に対して強い照明を当てるなどして近づかないよう警告していることが分かり、フィリピン側は中国がこの海域や空域の支配を強めようとしているとみて警戒しています。

これはフィリピン軍の幹部が７日、フィリピン議会上院の聴聞会で明らかにしたものです。
それによりますと、中国が浅瀬の埋め立てを拡大させている南シナ海の南沙諸島、英語名スプラトリー諸島の周辺海域で、最近、偵察活動を行っていたフィリピン軍の航空機に対し、中国海軍の艦艇が強い照明を当ててきたということです。
さらに、中国海軍は無線を通じて「わが軍の管理区域に近づいている。誤った判断を避けるため即刻引き返すよう求める」などと、たびたび警告を発してきたということです。
フィリピン軍によりますと、中国は南沙諸島で埋め立てを進めている７つの浅瀬のうち、滑走路とみられる施設の建設が進んでいるファイアリークロス礁に加えて、スビ礁でも埋め立てを３キロの長さまで拡大させているということです。
フィリピン側は、中国が浅瀬の周辺の海域や空域で支配を強めようとしてフィリピン軍機に照明を当てるなどの示威的な行動をしているとみて、警戒を強めています。

(試譯文)

It was understood that in the South China Sea at the Spratly Islands where China was expanding its reclamation, a war ship of the Chinese navy had aimed a strong beam at a spy plane of the Philippine military to warn it not to approach, the Philippines side thought that China was going to strengthen its control in the area at sea and in the air, and was becoming more cautious.

This was made clear by executives of the Philippine military in a hearing of the Philippine senate assembly on the 7th (May).

According to that, in sea area around the South Sand Islands in the South China Sea, in English the Spratly Islands where China was expanding its reclamation of sand bars, it was said that recently an airplane of the Philippine military while was doing scouting activity, was aimed at by a strong beam from a war ship of the Chinese navy.

Furthermore, it was said that the Chinese navy often issued warnings etc. through the radio saying that "you are approaching a military controlled area. To avoid any wrong judgment, I ask you to return immediately".

According to the Philippine military it was said that China, among the 7 sand bars at the Spratly Islands where reclamation was being advanced, had expanded reclamation to 3 kilometers in length at the Subi reef, on top of at the Fiery Cross reef where construction of facilities judged to be a runway was in progress.

On the Philippines side, as China was trying to strengthen its control at the sea area and airspace around the sand bars, the aiming of a strong beam at a Philippine military airplane was being thought to be making a demonstration of behavior, and precaution was being strengthened.

I hope conflicts in the area can be resolved by political means.