China’s deployments of technological assets to the South China Sea may be aiding its efforts to dominate one of the world’s most contested waterways.

Other regional claimant states lack the capabilities to compete with China’s maritime technology, and the U.S. deploys its strategic assets on a non-permanent basis.

China, on the other hand, has deployed radars, drones, and satellites to significantly boost its ability to monitor its “territorial waters” in the South China Sea.

“China can use their technology or use defense to claim that we have strengthened our holding or our control, or administration or even our scientific research in the South China Sea,” Yun Sun, senior associate in the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center, told Voice of America.

“In the long run it is one way that could matter,” she added.

She stressed that while China’s extensive claims to the South China Sea were discredited by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague this past summer, “the Chinese can come up with a list of the equipment they deployed in the region and show that as evidence of sovereignty.”

Chinese deployments also give China the ability to monitor regional activities in a way that other states cannot.

China launched the Gaofen 3 satellite in August 2016 to “play an important role in monitoring the marine environment, islands and reefs, and ships and oil rigs,” the China Daily wrote, citing Xu Fuxiang, the project director.

http://dailycaller.com/2017/01/12/china-is-winning-the-tech-battle-in-the-south-china-sea/