China Has 27 Outposts and 10,000 Troops in the South China Sea Right Now

China Has 27 Outposts and 10,000 Troops in the South China Sea Right Now

China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea aren’t just military infrastructure—they’re permanently staffed military nodes housing between 5,000 and 10,000 troops across 27 outposts. The “Big Three” bases at Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef, and Mischief Reef host aviation units, missile batteries, and radar installations capable of supporting more than 70 fighter aircraft and extending Chinese air power 800-plus miles from the mainland. The So…