A new military base in the contested Paracel Islands may not be of significant value to Beijing due to regional tensions and ongoing land reclamation in the South China Sea.

The strategic value to Beijing of a new military base in the contested Paracel Islands is likely to be limited, according to Chinese observers, as the South China Sea remains a focal point of regional tensions. The assessment comes amid rising concern over China’s land reclamation at Antelope Reef, believed to be its most significant project in the strategic waters since it declared a halt to such activities about a decade ago. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Centre for...