The militarization of islands in the South China Sea is an indicator of the Chinese regime’s desire to dominate the region and send a message to the rest of the world, according to security analysts. Recently, the Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. John Aquilino, revealed that the Chinese regime has fully militarized at least three islands in the disputed South China Sea. The Chinese Communist Party claims the vast majority of these strategic waterways, a region disputed by several other Southeast Asian states. While Beijing’s territorial claims have been rejected by an international tribunal, it has sought to assert its claims by building and militarizing artificial islands in the area. This development confirmed by Aquilino marks “a significant escalation in the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) strategic goal of extending sovereignty over the South China Sea,” according to James Fanell, a former director of intelligence and information operations …