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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/17/world/asia/china-is-arming-south-china-sea-island-us-says.html
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| China Is Arming South China Sea Island, U.S. Says | China Is Arming South China Sea Island, U.S. Says |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Pentagon has evidence that the Chinese military has deployed surface-to-air missiles on an island in the South China Sea, a United States official said on Tuesday night. | The Pentagon has evidence that the Chinese military has deployed surface-to-air missiles on an island in the South China Sea, a United States official said on Tuesday night. |
| The deployment escalates tensions in the region and comes after officials in Beijing pledged not to militarize islands in the sea, where China’s territorial claims are disputed by several nations. | The deployment escalates tensions in the region and comes after officials in Beijing pledged not to militarize islands in the sea, where China’s territorial claims are disputed by several nations. |
| The official said the Chinese appear to have deployed HQ-9 missile systems on Woody Island in the Paracels, which is claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan. Taiwan’s defense ministry, in a statement, confirmed on Wednesday morning that China had placed antiaircraft missiles on the island. | The official said the Chinese appear to have deployed HQ-9 missile systems on Woody Island in the Paracels, which is claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan. Taiwan’s defense ministry, in a statement, confirmed on Wednesday morning that China had placed antiaircraft missiles on the island. |
| The American official, who requested anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, did not comment on when the missiles might have been deployed, how many there were or whether they were operational. | The American official, who requested anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, did not comment on when the missiles might have been deployed, how many there were or whether they were operational. |
| The missile deployment was first reported by Fox News, which said pictures from ImageSat International showed the missile systems appeared on the island sometime between Feb. 3 and Sunday. | The missile deployment was first reported by Fox News, which said pictures from ImageSat International showed the missile systems appeared on the island sometime between Feb. 3 and Sunday. |
| The Chinese-made Hongqi-9 missiles have a range of about 124 miles. They are capable of destroying aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, according to missilethreat.com, a website run by the George C. Marshall Institute in Arlington, Va. | |
| Word of the deployment came as President Obama was concluding a summit meeting with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in California. | Word of the deployment came as President Obama was concluding a summit meeting with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in California. |
| Several member nations, including Vietnam and the Philippines, have expressed concern over China’s efforts to construct artificial islands in the Spratlys, low-lying islands, reefs and shoals that lie to the southeast of the Paracels. | Several member nations, including Vietnam and the Philippines, have expressed concern over China’s efforts to construct artificial islands in the Spratlys, low-lying islands, reefs and shoals that lie to the southeast of the Paracels. |
| Last month, China’s top admiral, Wu Shengli, told Adm. John Richardson, the U.S. chief of naval operations, that China’s island-building in the Spratlys was for civilian, not military purposes. | Last month, China’s top admiral, Wu Shengli, told Adm. John Richardson, the U.S. chief of naval operations, that China’s island-building in the Spratlys was for civilian, not military purposes. |
| “The United States continues to call on all claimants to halt land reclamation, construction and militarization of features in the South China Sea,” the Pentagon said in a statement Tuesday. | “The United States continues to call on all claimants to halt land reclamation, construction and militarization of features in the South China Sea,” the Pentagon said in a statement Tuesday. |