China has nearly finished building almost two dozen structures on artificial islands in the South China Sea that appear designed to house long- range surface-to-air missiles.

The move is possibly meant to bolster its claims against other nations’ claims, and is also part of a long-term strategy of military dominance in the waters.

In a report yesterday, Reuters quoted US officials as saying that building the concrete structures with retractable roofs on Subi, Mischief and Fiery Cross reefs, part of the Spratly Islands where China has built military-length airstrips, could be considered a military escalation.

… Associate Professor Li Mingjiang of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies said the deployment of the SAM system, if true, is about defending China’s claims and more, adding: “It is (also) part of the Chinese long-term strategic plan of building China’s dominance in the South China Sea militarily.”