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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 22 March 2022
AP Exclusive: U.S. admiral says China fully militarized isles

From Front its military profile is purely eign immune United States
defensive, arranged to pro- naval aircraft conducting
By JIM GOMEZ and AARON tect what it says are its sov- lawful military activities be-
FAVILA ereign rights. But after years yond the national airspace
Associated Press of increased military spend- of any coastal state,” a U.S.
OVER THE SOUTH CHINA ing, China now boasts the pilot radioed back to the
SEA (AP) — China has fully world’s second-largest Chinese.“Exercising these
militarized at least three of defense budget after the rights is guaranteed by in-
several islands it built in the U.S. and is rapidly modern- ternational law and I am
disputed South China Sea, izing its force with weapons operating with due regard
arming them with anti-ship systems including the J-20 to the rights and duties of
and anti-aircraft missile sys- stealth fighter, hypersonic all states,” he said.
tems, laser and jamming missiles and two aircraft Navy commanding offi-
equipment, and fighter jets carriers, with a third under cer Joel Martinez, who led
in an increasingly aggres- construction. the P-8A Poseidon’s crew,
sive move that threatens all Aquilino spoke with the AP said there has been an in-
nations operating nearby, onboard a U.S. Navy recon- cident when a Chinese jet
a top U.S. military com- naissance aircraft that flew flew close to a U.S. aircraft
mander said Sunday. near Chinese-held outposts in a dangerous maneu-
U.S. Indo-Pacific com- in the South China Sea’s ver in the disputed region.
mander Adm. John C. Aq- Spratly archipelago, one The U.S. flight crew calmly
uilino said the hostile ac- of the most hotly contested reminded the Chinese to
tions were in stark contrast regions in the world. During comply with aviation safety
to Chinese President Xi Jin- the patrol, the P-8A Posei- regulations, he said.
ping’s past assurances that don plane was repeatedly As the P-8A Poseidon flew
Beijing would not transform warned by Chinese call- as low as 15,000 feet (4,500
the artificial islands in con- ers that it illegally entered meters) near the Chinese-
tested waters into military what they said was China’s occupied reefs, some ap-
bases. The efforts were part territory and ordered the peared to be like small
of China’s flexing its military plane to move away. cities on screen monitors, This combo photo shows Chinese structures taken Feb. 8, 1999,
muscle, he said. “China has sovereignty with multi-story buildings, top, and March 20, 2022, at the Mischief Reef in the disputed
South China Sea.
“I think over the past 20 over the Spratly islands, as warehouses, hangars, sea- Associated Press
years we’ve witnessed well as surrounding mari- ports, runways and white
the largest military buildup time areas. Stay away im- round structures Aquilino to be seen if China will pur- vilian plane flying over the
since World War II by the mediately to avoid mis- said were radars. Near Fi- sue the construction of mili- disputed waterway could
PRC,” Aquilino told The judgment,” one of the stern ery Cross, more than 40 un- tary infrastructure in other easily get within range of
Associated Press in an in- radio messages said in a specified vessels could be areas. the Chinese islands’ missile
terview, using the initials veiled threat. seen apparently anchored. “The function of those is- system.
of China’s formal name. But the U.S. Navy plane Aquilino said the construc- lands is to expand the of- “So that’s the threat that
“They have advanced all dismissed the multiple tion of missile arsenals, air- fensive capability of the exists, that’s why it’s so con-
their capabilities and that warnings and pressed on craft hangars, radar sys- PRC beyond their continen- cerning for the militarization
buildup of weaponization is defiantly with its reconnais- tems and other military tal shores,” he said. “They of these islands,” he said.
destabilizing to the region.” sance in brief but tense facilities on Mischief Reef, can fly fighters, bombers “They threaten all nations
There were no immediate moments witnessed by Subi Reef and Fiery Cross plus all those offensive ca- who operate in the vicin-
comments from Chinese two AP journalists invited appeared to have been pabilities of missile systems.” ity and all the international
officials. Beijing maintains onboard. “I am a sover- completed but it remains He said any military and ci- sea and airspace.”q

Biden warns U.S. companies of

potential Russian cyberattacks

attacks against critical in- bilities for which there are Up" campaign aimed
frastructure targets as the patches," said Neuberger, at helping companies
war in Ukraine continues. who is the president's dep- strengthen their defenses
Biden's top cybersecurity uty national security advis- and has urged companies
aide, Anne Neuberger, er for cyber and emerging to back up their data, turn
expressed frustration at a technologies. on multifactor authentica-
White House press briefing "That makes it far easier for tion and take other steps
Monday that some critical attackers than it needs to to improve cyber hygiene.
infrastructure entities have be." Neuberger said there's no
ignored alerts from fed- The federal government intelligence suggesting a
Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber eral agencies to fix known has been providing warn- specific Russian cyberat-
and Emerging Technology, speaks during a press briefing at problems in software that ings to U.S. companies of tack against U.S. targets,
the White House, Monday, March 21, 2022, in Washington. could be exploited by Rus- the threats posed by Rus- but she did add that there
Associated Press sian hackers. sian state hackers since has been increase in "pre-
By ALAN SUDERMAN to make sure their digital "Notwithstanding these long before the country in- paratory activity," like
Associated Press doors are locked tight be- repeated warnings, we vaded Ukraine last month. scanning websites and
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — cause of "evolving intelli- continue to see adversar- The Cybersecurity and In- hunting for vulnerabilities,
President Joe Biden is gence" that Russia is con- ies compromising systems frastructure Security Agen- that is common among
urging U.S. companies sidering launching cyber- that use known vulnera- cy has launched a "Shields nation-state hackers.q