BEIJING : China has positioned anti-aircraft guns and advanced weapons systems on disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea (SCS), an US thinktank has said after releasing new satellite pictures. It also said Beijing has further fortified ongoing constructions in the region.

REUTERSA satellite image shows what CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative says appear to be anti­aircraft guns.

The images taken in November show “significant point-defence capabilities, in the form of large anti-aircraft guns and probable close-in weapons systems (CIWS), at each of its outposts in the Spratly Islands ,” the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), part of the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said.

But Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Thursday the deployment had “nothing to do with militarisation”. “To conduct construction on China’s own territory and deploy necessary national defence facilities is quite normal,” he said.

The new images revealed new construction on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs on the Spratly islands, known as Nansha in China.

The islands and reefs are also claimed by Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan.

“AMTI began tracking the construction of identical, hexagon-shaped structures at Fiery Cross, Mischief, and Subi Reefs in June and July. It now seems that these structures are an evolution of point-defence fortifications already constructed at China’s smaller facilities on Gaven, Hughes, Johnson, and Cuarteron Reefs,” AMTI said.

“China has built nearly identical headquarters buildings at each of its four smaller artificial islands. The two smallest of the islets, Hughes and Gaven Reefs, feature four arms built off of these central structures.” (With inputs from agencie