This should be concerning to us all…..
China is inching ever closer according to new reports which highlight plans for an airbase only 1800 miles away from the coast of Hawaii.
It would seem as if China wants to counter our presence in The South Pacific…..which could lead to tensions escalating between our two countries.
Could war be on the horizon?
Maybe full on war can be averted, but this may not stop proxy conflicts, or small skirmishes to take place in the near future.
Here is more on the story:
Reuters had more details:
The plans, which have not been made public, involve construction on the tiny island of Kanton (also spelled Canton), a coral atoll strategically located midway between Asia and the Americas.
Kiribati opposition lawmaker Tessie Lambourne told Reuters she was concerned about the project, and wanted to know whether it was part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“The government hasn’t shared the cost and other details other than it’s a feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the runway and bridge,” Lambourne told Reuters. “The opposition will be seeking more information from government in due course.”
The office of Kiribati President Taneti Maamau did not respond to questions.
The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to questions.
Despite being small, Kiribati, a nation of 120,000 residents, controls one of the biggest exclusive economic zones in the world, covering more than 3.5 million square kilometres of the Pacific.
Daily Mail had more:
China has drawn up plans to upgrade an airstrip and bridge on one of Kiribati's remote islands less than 2,000 miles southwest of Hawaii in a bid to revive a site that hosted military aircraft during World War II.
The plans involve construction on the tiny island of Kanton (also spelled Canton), a coral atoll strategically located midway between Asia and the Americas.
Any significant build-up on Kanton, located 1,864 miles southwest of Hawaii and U.S. military bases there, would offer a foothold to China deep into territory that had been firmly aligned with the U.S. and its allies since World War II.
The development comes as tensions in the region continue to boil. China did not indicate whether the airfield would be used for military purposes, though.
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