China: Mock-ups of US warships spotted on satellite amid rising South China Sea tensions

China has built full-scale mock-ups of US warships in a desert in the country's northwestern region of Xinjiang according to the satellite photographs revealed by a US space technology company, Maxar. The image depicts structures fashioned like a military aircraft carrier set on rail lines. As per the reports of USNI News, the structures seemed to be military objectives, a site devoted to the US Navy. The constructions observed in the Taklamakan Desert looked to have flat outlines of US military warships with no armaments or other specifics.

For years, Beijing has been working on anti-ship ballistic missiles and conducting tests. As tensions in the South China Sea rise, the United States has cautioned that China has been aggressively increasing its military potential, including nuclear capabilities. The photographs were reported to depict mock-ups of an aircraft carrier and at least two US Navy destroyers, according to BBC.

China's continued attention on anti-carrier capabilities

The construction of such facilities demonstrates China's continued attention on anti-carrier capabilities, with a particular emphasis on US Navy warships. China was suspected of conducting a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile test earlier this year, which raised concerns in Washington, according to the British news organisation. Although Beijing claimed it was testing a reusable spacecraft rather than a missile, the weapon system's design is intended to dodge US missile defences.

According to Politico, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Gen. Mark Milley, said the test was extremely close to being a "Sputnik moment," equivalent to the Soviet Union's 1957 launch of the world's first space satellite, which fueled fears that the US had fallen behind technologically.

The US Navy conducts routine missions with military ships in the South China Sea

The US Navy conducts routine missions with military ships in the South China Sea, which is considered to be one of the world's most contested areas. China claims the majority of the region, but neighbouring countries including the United States disagree with the claims. The region is part of a significant shipping route that carries more than $3 trillion in annual trade. For decades, countries like the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have all contested China's claim to nearly all of the Sea, but tensions have progressively risen in recent years. According to BBC, in this territorial conflict, the US has backed many of these countries.

(Image: AP)