China has secured the central leadership role in the South China Sea and other players cannot match its military supremacy in the region, according to an internal magazine of the People's Liberation Army obtained by Kyodo News.
Amid staunch denials by China that it is militarizing the South China Sea, the article amounts to a rare admission by its military of its true intentions in the region. Specifically, it sheds light on the policy of boosting the military influence in the area under the cloak of "civilian activities" such as private aviation.
The article was authored by officers of the PLA Navy's South Sea Fleet, whose mission is to maintain and secure China's presence in the South China Sea.