In the South China Sea, China has built a major military base on a pile of sand that didn’t even used to be above water. It’s called Mischief Reef, and it sits about 150 miles from the Philippines. To be clear, this reef is not within China’s borders. It’s inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, or EEZ. That means, under international law, the Philippines—not China—has the right to use and protect the natural resources there. But China is ignoring the law and building anyway.
Over the last decade, China has turned Mischief Reef into a man-made island, and now it’s packed with military gear. Satellites show a 10,000-foot runway, radar systems, missile launchers, and even hangars for fighter jets. It’s like an unsinkable aircraft carrier sitting in waters that don’t belong to them. All of this began with a lie. Back in the 1990s, China said it was just putting up shelters for fishermen. Now, it’s a full-blown military base.
This is a big problem for many reasons. First, China’s claim that it owns most of the South China Sea—over 80 percent of it—is not recognized by international law. The United Nations ruled in 2016 that China’s actions in this region were illegal. But China doesn’t care. It continues to bully smaller nations like the Philippines and Vietnam, and it builds islands where there used to be only reefs underwater.
Second, this area is one of the busiest trade routes in the world. About $5 trillion in goods go through the South China Sea every year. That includes fuel, food, and other products that many countries—including the United States—depend on. If China controls this area, it could block or tax that trade. That would hurt economies all around the world, including ours.
Third, China’s buildup threatens peace. The Philippines is a treaty ally of the United States. If China attacks Philippine forces near Mischief Reef, it could pull the U.S. into a conflict. That’s not just a worry for faraway politicians—it affects every American who values peace and stability.
Let’s not forget, China’s leader Xi Jinping once told President Obama that they wouldn’t militarize these islands. That promise has clearly been broken. Now, China can watch and listen across the entire South China Sea using its advanced radar. No other country, not even the United States, has that kind of reach in the region.
Thankfully, the Philippines is pushing back. Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., they are standing up to China and working more closely with the United States and other allies. Vietnam, too, is building up its own islands in the region. But this is not a race we want. We don’t want more militarized islands. We want freedom of navigation and respect for international law.
The United States must stand firm. We should support our allies and continue to patrol the area to make sure China doesn’t shut down these sea lanes. We must also call out China’s illegal actions for what they are—an aggressive grab for power that violates the sovereignty of its neighbors.
This is not just about rocks in the sea. It’s about the rule of law versus the rule of force. It’s about whether small nations have the same rights as big ones. And it’s about whether we allow communist China to rewrite the rules of the world, one fake island at a time.
Our Founders believed in liberty and self-government. That applies not just at home, but in how we deal with allies and bullies abroad. China’s actions in the South China Sea are a test of our resolve. If we don’t stand up now, we may find ourselves paying a much higher price later.
