World War Drum Beats: China Builds Lighthouse On China Sea Island

The tensions between China and the world continued to escalate this week when China began operation of a lighthouse on its recently-built island in the South China Sea.

The man-made islands have caused tensions between China and the US and her allies to grow increasingly in the past few months.

According to Asia Times:

China claims most of the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. But neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

China’s transport ministry held a “completion ceremony”, marking the start of operations at the 55-meter (180-ft) high lighthouse on Subi Reef, where construction began in October, state news agency Xinhua said late on Tuesday.

The U.S. guided missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles of Subi Reef in late October, drawing an angry rebuke from China, which called it “extremely irresponsible”.