Despite stringent warnings from the United States not to proceed with an aggressive naval strategy, on Tuesday, China unveiled plans to build two lighthouses in the South China Sea.
At the same time, an oped published in the state-run Global Times stated that unless Washington backs down, conflict may be ‘inevitable.’
China’s State Council also issued a whitepaper saying that it will expand military capabilities in the region to include offensive measures, in addition to already existing defensive measures, Reuters reports. China’s Second Artillery Corps intends to bolster its ability for nuclear counterattacks and long-range precision strikes.
Yet the paper also promised that “China will never seek hegemony or expansion.
