bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Maria Siow

Only China has the resources and motivation to build military installations on a group of Myanmar islands near a strategic Indian archipelago, analysts said, after a report by a British think tank unveiled major upgrades around the islands.
London-based policy institute Chatham House last month released a report that assessed new satellite images of the Coco Islands, located in a strategically important zone in the Bay of Bengal that is 55km north of India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where it has air and naval bases.
The images show that Myanmar’s islands have over the years experienced “a steady makeover, with telltale signs of military modernisation and facilities to support aircraft”, said the report titled “Is Myanmar building a spy base on Great Coco Island?”.

China on Monday hit back at the report, with the foreign ministry in Beijing calling it “sheer nonsense” in response to a question by Bloomberg on WeChat.
A spokesman for Myanmar’s ruling State Administration Council earlier called the allegation that China was building the facility on the islands absurd.
The report said a major extension of the island’s runway in the past decade was among the most visible changes in the area. The satellite pictures, taken in January by US space technology firm Maxar Technologies, also showed new hangars, a radar station and a large pier, while a causeway appeared to be under construction in the southern part of Great Coco where 1,500 people live.
Philippines ‘seriously concerned’ by more South China Sea island building
Troy Lee-Brown, a research fellow at the University of Western Australia Defence and Security Institute, said the images suggested “a fairly significant build-up in infrastructure development” on the archipelago from “what used to be a pretty rudimentary radar station”.
Swaran Singh, a political-science professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, said Myanmar had neither the motivation nor the financial or technical capabilities to launch infrastructure projects on the Coco Islands to monitor India’s activities.
“Given their close relations with India, Myanmar’s other major partners like Japan or Asean also have no intention of monitoring India from the Coco Islands,” said Singh, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
China is bound to be a natural suspect as ... it has secured access to the Coco Islands for the last 30 years
Swaran Singh, University of British Columbia
“China is bound to be a natural suspect [for the installations] as it has both the intention and the wherewithal and, above all, it has secured access to the Coco Islands for the last 30 years,” he added.
China has acquired footholds around the Indian Ocean in recent years, with Chinese companies taking control of commercial ports in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and the country acquiring its first overseas military base in Djibouti in 2016.
Singh said China’s aim with the installations would likely be to monitor India’s army, navy and air force, including major missile testing sites.


The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are home to the Indian armed forces’ first and only so-called tri-service theatre, established around 2001. The archipelago stretches over some 750km in the Bay of Bengal, giving New Delhi commanding oversight over the so-called sea lines of communication – economical and safe routes taken by cargo ships – and the significant maritime traffic that passes between the Indian and Pacific Oceans through the Malacca Strait.
Lee-Brown, who conducts research on regional and maritime security and international relations focusing on the Indo-Pacific, said even if the recent construction work was entirely driven by Myanmar, not China, there would still be concerns in India due to the strategic importance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Timothy Heath, an international defence researcher at the Rand Corporation, a US think tank, said if evidence came to light that Beijing was indeed behind the new constructions, it could pose a threat to India.
China-India row over ‘spy ship’ sends ripples through the Indian Ocean
If China’s armed forces ever operated from Myanmar’s islands, “they could carry out surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence collection along the coast and possibly harass Indian ships”, he said.
But he added that if tensions escalated into a full-blown conflict, Chinese aircraft and ships based near Coco Islands would be “easily wiped out” by the Indian military’s presence on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Since Myanmar’s military rulers seized power in a February 2021 coup and overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, the cash-strapped junta has been ostracised by many nations in the global community and faces a wide array of sanctions.

Before the coup, India was in close alignment with Myanmar’s National League of Democracy, the Suu Kyi-led party that emerged from a pro-democracy uprising against military rule in 1988 and won general elections in 2015 and 2020.
Singh said there had been little contact in recent decades between India and Myanmar’s military, with China becoming “the only country engaging with” the junta after 1988, as well as being their major defence supplier.
Chatham House said in its report that if China were to further apply pressure on the Myanmar junta, “leveraging naval intelligence acquired from surveillance flights from Great Coco for desperately needed economic investment, it would give Beijing a key regional advantage over New Delhi”.
Myanmar coup anniversary: ‘Hatred of junta’ mounts ahead of planned polls
It noted more work was expected in the archipelago that consists of two main islands – Great Coco and Little Coco – and a number of smaller islets including Jerry Island, at the southern tip of Great Coco.
“Visible as of late March on the southern tip of Great Coco, just beyond the causeway connecting the islands, is evidence of land-clearing efforts indicating construction work to come,” the report said.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg


China the ‘natural suspect’ behind military upgrades on Myanmar islands near India

A satellite view of the airfield and associated facilities on Myanmar’s Great Coco Island. Photo: Google Earth

Satellite pictures of Myanmar’s Great Coco Island show a runway has been extended in recent years and new facilities built. Photo: Google Earth

Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing at a parade in March. The cash-strapped junta has been ostracised by many nations since its 2021 coup. Photo: Xinhua

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Myanmar doesn’t have the financial or technical capabilities to carry out the military modernisation seen on the Coco Islands, analysts say
China has in recent years acquired commercial and military footholds around the Indian Ocean, and maintains relations with Myanmar despite the coup


Myanmar doesn’t have the financial or technical capabilities to carry out the military modernisation seen on the Coco Islands, analysts say.


China the ‘natural suspect’ behind military upgrades on Myanmar islands near India

Myanmar doesn’t have the financial or technical capabilities to carry out the military modernisation seen on the Coco Islands, analysts say China has in recent years acquired commercial and military footholds around the Indian Ocean, and maintains relations with Myanmar despite the coup

Myanmar doesn’t have the financial or technical capabilities to carry out the military modernisation seen on the Coco Islands, analysts say

China has in recent years acquired commercial and military footholds around the Indian Ocean, and maintains relations with Myanmar despite the coup