China Expands Surveillance Network in Disputed South China Sea

China has significantly upgraded its surveillance and electronic warfare systems on its Spratly Islands outposts, a U.S. research group reports. The improvements aim to boost China's intelligence-gathering ability across the contested waterway. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) published these findings on Tuesday. AMTI is part of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The report uses satellite images as evidence. They show new and upgraded radar sites, antenna fields, and other reinforced electronic warfare infrastructure. These systems can monitor air and sea traffic. The Spratly Islands are claimed in whole or in part by China and several neighboring nations. China has built military facilities on artificial islands there in recent years. The latest upgrades increase China's capacity to observe activities across the South China Sea, a major global trade route.